Three top security professionals gave insight into the grueling details of their intensive work and revealed their huge payday.
Amber Haddock, a protection agent who has posted a following on the Internet, said The New York Times her first executive protection assignment was a three-month stint with a 17-year-old Middle Eastern princess.
Her contract then turned into a two-year gig where she lived with the teen in Washington, DC, under the guise of being the girl’s host mother, driving her around to classes and parties and even traveling abroad.
Haddock has spent most of her career working for Middle Eastern royal families and said when she started in the industry 15 years ago, “that was the only job for female agents at the time.”
With more women taking on leadership positions and top jobs, she said there has been an increase in demand for feminine protective equipment.
Amber Haddock (pictured), a protection agent who has built a following online with safety tips, worked for a Middle Eastern princess under the guise of being the teen’s host mother
Miranda Coppoolse (pictured), founder of MC Global Security Consulting, said: ‘Lock protection is not so much about weapons’
She told The Times that being a security professional is not just about carrying a weapon, but also about planning ahead and being prepared for any emergency that may arise.
“We don’t exist and if we do exist, something has already gone wrong and we are evacuating the customer,” Haddock said.
‘What if you were in Hawaii and the fire started at your client’s house? Do you know where you would take them?’
Miranda Coppoolse, founder of MC Global Security Consulting, said: ‘Lock protection is not so much about guns.
‘I think that EP is mainly about giving the customer a feeling of security. And you can only do that if you have self-confidence.’
Coppoolse, who lives in the Netherlands, has spent considerable time in countries around the world and has acquired a broad understanding of numerous languages and cultures during her career.
‘It’s an exciting life. It is also a tiring life because you always have to be alert,” she said.
Monica Duperon Rodriguez, a security professional with more than 30 years of related experience, said the most interesting places her work has taken her are the Serengeti and Mauritania.
According to her website, Rodriguez has provided executive protection to multiple families of ultra-high net worth individuals in the US, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia.
Monica Duperon Rodriguez (pictured), a security professional, said the most interesting places her work has taken her are the Serengeti and Mauritania
Rodriguez (center left) has provided executive protection to multiple families of ultra-high net worth individuals in the US, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia
She has provided protective services in the US, Mexico, South America, Europe and 25 African countries.
“We have to learn how to be a bit of a chameleon,” Rodriguez said.
‘For me, education is extremely important. How you get it is something completely different. Studying is not always the solution, but education is crucial for personal growth and to actually identify potential opportunities.’
Rodriguez told The Times that while she worked in law enforcement, she earned about $42,000 annually; in executive protection, she has earned as much as $200,000 a year.
Haddock said, “I can’t get out of bed for less than a thousand dollars a day.”