The fatal attack on United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson and the consequences
In contrast to the USA, where listed companies have been under considerable pressure to adapt in terms of executive protection since the assassination of Brian Thompson, Swiss and German companies have tended to take a wait-and-see approach.
The NZZ as one of the leading media outlets in Switzerland and the German-speaking world, interviewed Oliver Graf on this topic:
Publication on the topic of Executive Protection in the Audit Committee Quarterly, Issue IV/2024
Political, social and economic disruptions, as well as legal obligations, demand a strategic approach to threats and effective risk management. Both are becoming the hard currency of companies – even when it comes to organizing personal security for members of their controlling and executive bodies.
Read Oliver Graf’s guest article for the Audit Committee Quarterly, a magazine for supervisory and management boards (pages 14 to 16):
Conclusion on the European Football Championship 2024 from a security management perspective
On November 26 and 27, 2024, the 10th Bavarian Security Day took place at the “Paulaner am Nockerberg” in Munich. A format organized by the BVSW and the BDSW that provides a platform for Exchange and networking within the security industry and highlights current security policy challenges:
Proteus.one GmbH into the future with a Tandem-Leadership
From November 1, 2024, the management of Proteus.one GmbH will be strengthened by Timo Seibert, previously Head of Safety & Security and Medical at EURO 2024 GmbH. The experienced corporate and sports security manager, who has a law enforcement background and special expertise in security and crisis management for major events, will be primarily responsible for the company’s operational business.
Oliver Graf, managing partner, who will henceforth focus on strategy and business development, comments on Timo Seibert’s move from EURO 2024 GmbH to Proteus.one as follows:
“I have known Timo since our work together for the German Football Association at the 2016 European Championships in France. Since then, our collaboration has been based on friendship. From a professional, human and entrepreneurial perspective, he is exactly the co-leader this company needs now to continue to be successful in the future. This will enable us to set further qualitative accents in our market segment.”
Proteus.one interview for WirtschaftsWoche
The Russian intelligence service plan to assassinate the Rheinmetal CEO documents a significant increase in the threat situation for managers in the defense industry.
What other means is Moscow resorting to? Are key personnel from other industries also in the agents’ target spectrum?
Regardless of the answer to the above questions, companies and security authorities are called upon to reposition themselves in view of the changed risk landscape.
WirtschaftsWoche interviewed Proteus CEO Oliver Graf together with other experts on this topic.
The article “Suddenly in the crosshairs” was published in issue no. 30 of 19.07.24 on pages 56-58 under the heading “Business and Technology – Security”.
Oliver Graf in the VDI News
The article “How bodyguards protect top managers and politicians” in the VDI-Nachrichten of 17.07.2024 focuses on high profile assassinations and concludes that there is an increasing threat to politicians and business representatives.
Proteus.one Managing Director Oliver Graf is quoted with regard to the question of suitable security measures: “A sophisticated system of preventive and corrective measures is needed to ensure effective and far-reaching protection”.
Guest lecture by Oliver Graf at the 10th meeting of the German Corporate Security Working Group (AKDU)
We are pleased to be able to give a guest lecture at the 10th meeting of the AKDU working group on October 10, 2024 and to exchange views with its members on current developments and challenges in corporate security.
The keynote speaker will be Prof. Dr. Udo Helmbrecht, former President of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and Director of the European Network and Information Se-curity Agency (ENISA).
Lecture by Oliver Graf on the topic of “Personal protection – a profession caught between image and reality”
Increasing social, political and economic upheavals and criminal developments are forcing us to take a differentiated view of the corresponding risks of the present.
In this light, personal security must also be rethought from several angles. Together with our partner SÜDVERS as a high-performance insurance broker and risk manager, we have created a consulting approach that covers all facets and fulfils the highest demands. We are therefore particularly pleased to be able to contribute to this year’s Laser Focus event with a lecture.
Article by Oliver Graf: SECURITY INSIGHT SicherheitsPraxis 4/23
Film and television have portrayed personal security in a very one-dimensional manner. Compounding this issue, business associations, politics, and relevant authorities have yet to establish a recognized professional standard for this field. Both factors have not been beneficial for the industry. The absence of national training and certification standards allows amateurs to enter a market marked by maximum uncertainty and information asymmetry. “Adverse Selection” is almost inevitable: the client simply doesn’t know what service to expect and how to assess the provider’s quality effectively. In the end, they often opt for the cheapest personal security provider, an unsustainable situation in a segment concerned with safeguarding life, limb, and health.
So, how should modern executive protection be understood and carried out according to established principles?
Security Measures for Players, Teams, Coaches, and Officials of an Internationally Operating Sports League
Background:
An American sports league is planning its first major sporting event in Germany in 2022.
Security services for the protection of players, coaches, teams, referees, officials, media representatives, and events are being put out for competitive bidding. Proteus.one had already been recommended and prequalified for all procurement requirements. After submitting and reviewing the proposal, Proteus.one was awarded the contract as the General Security Service Provider.
Following ticket pre-sales, it was expected that there would be immense public interest and high attendance.
Challenges:
Between the award decision and the game day, there were only 14 weeks for complex planning and project management. Professional communication among all relevant security stakeholders had to be conducted across two time zones. Personal meetings were scheduled every four weeks. Given the involvement of numerous police and regulatory authorities, the fire department, airport operators, and transportation companies from the outset in security planning, extensive coordination was required.
The significant need for specially qualified security personnel presented unique challenges in terms of personnel, contingency planning, and accommodation.
Implementation:
Internally, Proteus established a matrix project organization. The role concept included overarching responsibilities for project management, team security, security for other stakeholders, event security, interface organization, as well as administration and organization.
The recruitment of security personnel had to be carried out on a national scale. Due diligence checks were conducted on all vendors based on specific client requirements.
Special attention was given to the security planning of team movements at the airport, their accommodation in hotels, and training activities and bus transfers throughout the Munich area. Virtual meetings were scheduled for regular exchanges with security representatives of the client and participating teams.
The multifaceted collaboration with law enforcement authorities was a prime example of a highly successful informal “Public-Private-Security-Partnership” throughout all relevant project phases.
