Briefing Your Principal: Questions Every PA Should Ask Before Hiring Close Protection

As a Personal or Executive Assistant, your role extends far beyond scheduling and logistics. You’re the gatekeeper — responsible for your Principal’s time, privacy, and, increasingly, their safety.

When the need arises to hire close protection, it can feel like unfamiliar territory. The stakes are high. Choose well, and your Principal continues life uninterrupted. Choose poorly, and their security, comfort, or reputation may be compromised.

The truth is, effective protection begins long before an operative steps foot on site — it starts with the right questions.

Understanding Your Role as the Principal’s Gatekeeper

Every detail of a Principal’s safety plan starts with you. You understand their habits, their environment, and their expectations. When briefing a protection team, your clarity determines how seamlessly they can integrate into the Principal’s world.

If the PA isn’t clear on the brief, the operative can’t be clear on the threat.

A Close Protection Officer (CPO) must adapt to your Principal’s lifestyle — whether that means quiet movements between meetings or a discreet presence at private functions. Your insights shape the level of visibility, interaction, and planning required.

The Non-Negotiables: Questions to Ask Before You Hire

These are the questions every PA should ask before bringing any Close Protection team on board. They’ll help you separate the professionals from the pretenders.

1. Are they SIA (or PSA) licensed and medically qualified?

In the UK, any operative providing Close Protection must hold a valid SIA licence — a legal requirement proving they’ve completed advanced training in risk assessment, surveillance awareness, and protective tactics.

If you’re operating in Ireland, the PSA regulates all private security services. While it doesn’t issue a specific Close Protection licence, all operatives must still meet strict vetting and compliance standards.

👉Based in Ireland? Check out our recent article - Understanding PSA and SIA Licensing: What Clients in Ireland Should Know

Equally important is medical training. Every CPO should hold current first aid certification, ensuring they can respond to a medical emergency before professional help arrives.

👉 For a detailed overview of our standards, see our Close Protection Services page.

2. What’s their background and experience?

Licensing is the minimum. Real capability comes from experience.

Many of the most effective protection professionals come from military or police backgrounds. They’ve operated in high-pressure environments, developed situational awareness, and learned how to manage threats calmly and decisively.

Ask about past assignments — not for names, but for context. Have they protected families, executives, or public figures? Have they worked in the types of settings your Principal frequents — corporate events, travel itineraries, or private estates?

Experience determines more than readiness; it defines judgement under pressure.

3. How do they handle discretion and client privacy?

Discretion isn’t optional. For high-profile clients, it’s everything.

A good protection team blends in — unobtrusive but always alert. They understand that their presence should reassure, not disrupt.

At VIS Protection, our operatives are trained to integrate seamlessly, from household coordination to business travel. You won’t find our name in the headlines, and that’s the point.

Professionalism means being invisible when needed, and ready when it counts.

4. What’s their advance planning process?

True security begins with preparation. Before any assignment, a professional Close Protection team will conduct:

• Detailed risk assessments of residences, routes, and venues.

• Protective intelligence checks to identify vulnerabilities.

• Route and contingency planning to account for changing environments or schedules.

If a company doesn’t discuss these steps, that’s a red flag. The difference between protection and reaction often lies in planning — and in this profession, reaction alone isn’t enough.

5. How do they integrate with household or corporate staff?

A Close Protection Officer should never be a disruption to daily life. Instead, they should become an invisible extension of the Principal’s existing team.

Ask how they coordinate with household staff, drivers, or estate managers. Clear communication ensures protection doesn’t interfere with routine.

As one Principal’s PA told me recently:

“The best protection is when you forget it’s there.”

That’s the standard to aim for.

Breaking Misconceptions

Close Protection isn’t just for celebrities or those under direct threat. It’s for anyone whose position, profile, or circumstances attract attention.

The misconception that security must be obvious often leads to unnecessary discomfort. The most effective protection is discreet, adaptable, and aligned with lifestyle.

If your Principal’s family or children are part of the equation, you might find our recent guide useful: Do Families Need Bodyguards? A Guide to Discreet Protection for HNW Households.

In truth, most families prefer not to “look protected.” With the right approach, they never have to.

Due Diligence and Contract Clarity

Before confirming any engagement, ensure you have:

• Proof of SIA/PSA licensing

• Valid insurance certificates

• References or client testimonials

• A clear contract outlining roles, confidentiality, and expectations

These documents protect everyone — the Principal, the PA, and the operative.

For a deeper look at what to review before signing, see our article: Private Security Contracts: What Your Principal Should Expect – and What You Should Check.

Transparency is the foundation of trust. Without it, no security relationship can last.

Why VIS Protection

VIS Protection is veteran-led, with all operatives SIA-licensed and medically trained. All operatives have served in specialist military and police units, bringing real-world experience and discipline to every detail of protection.

We operate across the UK and Ireland, working discreetly with HNW families, executives, and public figures who value privacy as much as safety.

Our promise is simple: quiet professionalism, seamless integration, and unwavering discretion.

Final Thought from Paul

When Close Protection is done right, your Principal’s life doesn’t feel restricted — it feels secure.

The best protection feels like nothing has changed. That’s how you know it’s working.

If you’re briefing a Principal and need guidance choosing the right protection team, let’s have a discreet conversation.