The Advisors' Blog

– Liz Dunshee

I can only speculate about what it’s like to be a VIP tech CEO. One part that doesn’t sound too appealing is having a personal security detail. Because if someone is attacking Mark Zuckerberg, they’re probably after more than his $350 t-shirt. But if there’s a bright side, it’s that you don’t have to pay your bodyguards out of your own pocket – they’re pricey! This article looks at how much a few well-known companies spend on security & travel for high-profile executives – and how they describe those “perks” in their proxy statements:

1. Facebook – $7.3 million for CEO security & $1.5 million for CEO use of private aircraft ($2.7 million for COO)
2. Amazon – $1.6 million for CEO business & travel security
3. Oracle – $1.5 million for Executive Chair home security ($104k & $0 for the co-CEOs)
4. Salesforce – $1.3 million for CEO security
5. Google – $636k for CEO security and $48k for CEO use of chartered aircraft
6. Apple – $224k for CEO security and $93k for air travel
7. Qualcomm – $138k for Chair’s “insurance premiums, security & home office” and $153k for Chair use of corporate aircraft
8. IBM – $178k for CEO use of corporate aircraft

A member emailed to point out that there’s a reason security is expensive:

I met an executive’s bodyguard once. Former cop & one of the friendliest, most down to earth people I’ve ever met. He was very devoted to the executive, for whom he’d worked for nearly 30 years. However, it was also clear to me that this guy knew 6 ways to kill you with a paper napkin.

Remember that our recently-updated “Executive Compensation Disclosure Treatise” has a chapter devoted to perks – with comprehensive guidance on disclosure of airplane use & personal security, among other topics.