Precaution: when my mystery novel’s premise became headline news
The recent murder in New York City of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, and the November kidnapping of WonderFi CEO Dean Skurka in Toronto, unnervingly brought to life the fictional targeting of tech CEO Tom Oliver in my mystery novel Devious Web. And rightly so, the attacks are setting off alarm bells for businesses.
Skurka, a cryptocurrency financier, was released unharmed after reportedly paying a hefty ransom, whereas Thompson was the victim of a targeted and deadly shooting. It’s ironic that these attacks happened within mere months of my book launching in mid-October.
When I devised the plot of Devious Web, a key consideration was how believable the story would be. Sadly, with these recent attacks, the premise of the novel is all too real. These incidents are serving as a wake-up call for companies to be vigilant in protecting their assets, the most irreplaceable of which are their business leaders.
In my book, data analytics company CEO Tom becomes a target just as he’s considering a multi-million-dollar acquisition offer from a Silicon Valley AI company. The investigating Toronto Police homicide detective Jason Liu suggests that the perpetrator could be someone who resents his success during a challenging economic time, given the story unfolds mid-pandemic.
Looking at the real-life incidents, motivation for kidnapping Skurka was clearly to extort money, whereas Thompson’s murder may have more in common with Tom—if resentment or a personal vendetta played a part. Investigators will certainly know more as they delve into the alleged shooter’s past.
Along with amping up executive security, another outcome from these attacks should be companies tuning into their brand reputation and being realistic about issues.
Public animosity against UnitedHealthcare, which has become so obvious in the social media storm that erupted following the attack, should not have come as a surprise. After all, there was a public protest outside the company’s Minnesota headquarters in July related to UnitedHealthcare’s policies and denial of patient claims.
Thompson’s wife has told media outlets that her husband received threats prior to the attack. Perhaps being threatened is something one can become inured to, but it still begs the question why a CEO would risk walking to an investor meeting in Manhattan entirely on his own under those circumstances.
Concern for executive safety tied to negative brand image is not a new phenomenon. I recall keen attention on security when Nortel was crashing on the stock market back in the day and I was communications director for the company’s optical division. As the stock plummeted, the company recognized the extreme shift in sentiment and took action to reduce risk for their executive team. Strategic measures were invoked—everything from elaborate home security systems to round-the-clock CEO bodyguards. Some of that is reflected in Devious Web’s plotline.
Now we’re living in a particularly charged time when economic and political pressures can lead to extreme outcomes. The recent and brazen attacks that took place in two large North American cities should indeed see companies reviewing and beefing up their safety protocols—and realistically gauging risk factors to their people and reputation.
Hopefully, any future CEO attacks will be limited to the safe confines of my mystery novels.
Order your copy of Devious Web now.