Executive Protection for Business Travelers in Dubai: What to Arrange Before Landing

Although Dubai is a safe city on the whole, executives face risks at the operational level. Traditional risks for business travelers in the region are less likely to pose a threat to executives. Rather, risks to executives are likely to stem from loss of confidentiality in business discussions, failures in meeting participants to attend business meetings, and unforeseen disruptions in business meetings, to name a few.

Executives who depend on last-minute means of transportation and/or unvetted escort services in the host location are likely to expose themselves to avoidable risks. It is especially critical for international organizations to contract Dubai bodyguards to ensure the safe transport and protection of their executives while maintaining a low-profile for the organization.

Critical Pre-Arrival Security Measures for Corporate Delegations

Several things still need to be in place before the traveler sets foot on UAE soil. These things assist the security detail in planning, preparing and executing the security of the traveler and protecting the traveler’s privacy. Some of these things include:

A corporate travel safety assessment is the foundation on which all executive protection operations are built. This assessment takes into account various elements including the executive’s public/oral statements and/or actions, the nature of the executive’s business, the locations of the executive’s business meetings, and international political/social concerns.

There are three main areas of concern in any travel assessment: public assembly risks, hotel/lodging risks, and communication/transit risks. Each of these are researched and addressed in the assessment. Protective operations plans are designed based on the information gathered and addressed in the assessment.

Of all the legs in a typical executive journey, the one from the aircraft to the ground transportation is the most dangerous and deals mostly unprotected. Protecting your executive’s interest from the time they touch down to the time they are transported to their final destination in a secure vehicle is very essential.

Protective services have direct communications with airports and FBOs to effect a covert or time- restricted pick up of their clients. The executive’s interest is safe the moment it touches the ground. All bags are moved to the executive’s vehicle by the protective services personnel.

The United Arab Emirates, and specifically Dubai, has very strict rules and regulations concerning the provision of security services. The Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) has the final say on all security services. When retaining the services of a protective agency in Dubai, one must confirm that their personnel are licensed by SIRA. It is essential that the Close Protection Officers (CPOs) assigned to you undergo training on various threats, be equipped with first aid kits and have good command of corporate etiquette.

Luxury non-armored vehicles are to be driven by a Dubai bodyguard to safely transport the executive to and from his engagements.

Gaps in protection are unacceptable. Prior to the executive’s arrival, the protective services personnel are to ensure that they have a 24/7 Secure Operations Center to which they are connected at all times.

Encrypted communications and GPS vehicle tracking allow us to detect and respond to sudden schedule changes. Should the need arise, we have developed a system to alert and coordinate with local emergency services.

Maintaining Operational Continuity in the UAE

Clients are offered the full range of protective services available internationally to include transportation, accommodation, communication, security, intelligence and investigation.

There are several elements of an executive protection operation that can be arranged in advance to ensure that a client is protected and business operations are continued in an unobtrusive manner. Bodyguards in Dubai can be arranged to provide escort services, and ensure the protection of executive/management personnel during the course of their business.