An article by ISDA Member Andrew Wolveridge. Andrew has 25 years of experience planning and managing events, providing Executive Protection and Security Consulting, and supplying Secure Transportation. Andrew is a Certified Secure Transportation Provider. His article discusses how to supply value for your clients.

In the current age of clients wanting more from less, one way to deliver and meet budget or simply contain costs on an interstate or international trip is to hire a local Executive Protection Specialist (EPS) to conduct your trip advance and/or in a supplementary role for the Protection Detail.  As part of their well-developed network, these professionals should have solid relationships with equally professional secure transportation providers, airports, hotels, venues, and law enforcement.

Apart from the benefit of travel and accommodation savings, you are most importantly engaging someone with local knowledge and licensing, if it’s required at that location.  The local EPS will have a network in the industry to facilitate movements of the client seamlessly from airport/FBO arrival to accommodation, meeting, event, and finally their departure.

The local knowledge will encompass many local customs, language, dangerous neighbourhoods, nightlife, tourist outings, local intelligence, and any security-related legal and regulatory requirements.  Your local EPS will have knowledge of the following:

• if you or the local EPS is permitted to be armed
• if local off-duty Law Enforcement can be hired
• is body armour permitted, restricted or prohibited
• what are the most suitable and available vehicles for the visit
• if local licensing requirements exist for anyone working in that city or state
• are you able to apply for a temporary permit to work
• do you need to be a citizen or resident to obtain the license
• do you need to apply for a work or business visa to accompany your client to that country in order to qualify for the security license or temporary security permit

Whilst security licensing is required in most developed countries some EPSs travel to accompany their clients and ignore the licensing requirements under the guise of an advisor or assistant.  The primary issue with ignoring the local licensing in any market is the potential legal and insurance risks.  That is will your company’s insurance or the client’s insurance cover you in the event of a claim in another state or country, particularly if you do not have the required licence to legally work in that location.  Worse still if you inadvertently breach the local laws Law Enforcement may become involved which could be at the very least time-consuming and potentially embarrassing to the client if the media are following or a passer-by captures it on their smartphones and posts it on the internet.

If a pre-planning and coordination checklist for your trip advance has been completed and you have learned your destination has security license requirements.  Then the logical next step would be to hire a local EPS so that they engage with any threat to your client as they are suitably licensed, insured, and will act within the boundaries of the local law.  Then if Law Enforcement becomes involved the local EPS can remain and assist them with their inquiries while you escort your client to the vehicle and onto your next location causing minimal disruption to their schedule.

For 25 years Andrew has been providing Executive Protection and Security Consulting including corporate visits with complex itineraries, international celebrity tours, and secure transport.

Visit http://www.wolveridge.com for more information or via email [email protected]