What Gavin De Becker & Associates does

Gavin De Becker & Associates (GDBA) is a privately held U.S. protective security and threat assessment firm founded by Gavin de Becker and headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, with operations in more than 50 countries and a UK subsidiary (GDBA LTD). The firm delivers ongoing protective coverage — residential security, close protection, travel and event security — to high-net-worth individuals, public figures, families, executives, and U.S. federal agencies including the CIA, FBI, Defense Intelligence Agency, U.S. Supreme Court Police, and U.S. Marshals Service. Its differentiated intellectual property centers on MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems, a proprietary, computer-assisted methodology with vertical-specific variants (MAPP, MAJ, DV-MOSAIC, MAT-W, MAST) deployed to universities, courts, employers, and schools, and on the Just 2 Seconds compendium of attacks and near-attacks used by protectors in 37 countries.

GDBA's business model combines long-duration protective security engagements (recurring subscription-like contracts for residential and close-protection details), advisory and investigations work billed on a professional-services basis, and an external training business via Academy for Protectors, Advanced Public Figure Protection, and the Advanced Threat Assessment Academy. Customer acquisition is driven by reputation, referrals, government relationships, and thought leadership (including best-selling books such as The Gift of Fear in 19 languages), rather than paid marketing. The firm operates additional product lines including The Private Suite at LAX (a private commercial aviation terminal service coordinated with DHS, the FAA, and 70 LAX airlines) and the Just 2 Seconds Simulator training tool. Pricing for client services is not publicly disclosed, but Protector compensation ranges from $75K–$125K for first-year new hires to $95K–$230K for senior Protectors, indicating a high-touch, labor-intensive services business with more than 60% of associates being military veterans and an acceptance rate below 1% among applicants.

Name

Gavin De Becker & Associates

Legal name

Gavin de Becker & Associates

Website

https://gdba.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gavin De Becker & Associates is a privately held U.S. protective security and threat assessment firm providing residential, close, and travel protection plus the proprietary MOSAIC methodology to high-net-worth individuals, public figures, executives, and U.S. federal agencies across 50+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Antonio

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Protective Security Services: Ongoing protective coverage for at-risk individuals, families, and public figures including residential security, travel protection, event security, and close protection details.
2. Threat Assessment & Management: Assessment and management of threats, inappropriate pursuit, stalking, workplace violence, and harassment cases.
3. Training Services: Academy for Protectors, Advanced Public Figure Protection, Advanced Threat Assessment Academy, and customized training programs for security professionals.
4. Advisory Services: Strategic consultation, GAPS Analysis, IRS 132 Independent Security Studies, and expert advisory services.
5. Investigations: Background investigations, due diligence, surveillance, and global investigations for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Gavin de Becker & Associates (GDBA) is a national security service-provider that delivers protective security, threat assessment, and strategic advisory services. Core offerings include residential protection, close protection details, travel security, event security, threat assessment and management, investigations, training academies, and the proprietary MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems for at-risk individuals, families, executives, corporations, and government agencies.

Product overview

Gavin de Becker & Associates (GDBA) is a National Security Service-Provider offering a portfolio of protection and threat assessment services. The core offerings include: MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems (computer-assisted threat assessment software with variants for public figures, judges, domestic violence, workplace, and students); professional training academies (Academy For Protectors, Advanced Public Figure Protection, Advanced Threat Assessment Academy); Advisory Services from former FBI/USSS/USMS/Military experts; and published educational resources (The Gift of Fear, Just 2 Seconds, Protecting the Gift, Fear Less books). The company provides protective security for public figures, at-risk individuals, and executives, conducting threat assessments, investigations, and managing cases of inappropriate pursuit.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Academy For Protectors: Full immersion training program teaching pioneering techniques in close protection, behavioral awareness, surveillance detection, and realistic simulated combat exercises.
• MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems
• Advanced Threat Assessment Academy
• Strategic Advisory Group
• The Private Suite
• Essential Protection Skills Academy

Products and services

• MOSAIC Threat Assessment Systems

Quantifiable outcome

• MOSAIC systems used by Top 25 Universities and State Police agencies protecting 14 Governors
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Homeland SecuritycoreOthersJoshua Gausman represented GDBA in discussions with the Department of Homeland Security regarding establishment of The Private Suite at LAX, the first-of-its-kind service for private TSA and Customs screening and boarding of commercial flights.
• FAAcoreOthersJoshua Gausman represented GDBA in discussions with the FAA regarding establishment of The Private Suite at LAX private terminal service.
• LAX AirlinescoreOthersJoshua Gausman represented GDBA in discussions with all 70 airlines at LAX regarding The Private Suite service for private commercial flight departures.
• U.S. Secret ServicecoreOthersOngoing liaison relationship with U.S. Secret Service for coordination on protective operations involving heads of state, National Special Security Events, and executive protection details.
• British Special BranchcoreOthersOngoing liaison relationship with British Special Branch for coordination on protective operations involving heads of state and VIP protection.
• Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP)minorOthersGDBA team members hold leadership positions including President of Southeast Chapter of ATAP; used as professional network and thought leadership platform.
• ASIS Executive Protection CouncilminorOthersJames Hamilton is a member of ASIS Executive Protection Council for professional development and industry standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Kroll: Kroll offers investigations, security consulting, and threat advisory services to corporations, law firms, and governments. Its risk-advisory and protective-intelligence practices directly overlap GDBA's advisory and threat assessment offerings for Fortune 500 and high-net-worth clients.
• AS Solution: AS Solution is a Nordic-headquartered executive protection and secure-driving firm serving corporate executives, families, and high-profile clients. It competes head-to-head with GDBA in residential and travel protection details for at-risk individuals in Europe and globally.
• Pinkerton: Pinkerton (now part of Securitas) provides corporate investigations, executive protection, and security consulting to enterprises and high-profile individuals. It is the most direct historical competitor to GDBA in dedicated protective services and investigations for at-risk clients.
• Hillard Heintze (Jensen Hughes): Hillard Heintze, now part of Jensen Hughes, is a security risk and threat management consultancy serving corporations, universities, and government agencies. Its threat assessment and protective intelligence services closely parallel GDBA's enterprise and university-facing advisory practice.
• Control Risks: Control Risks is a global specialist risk consultancy providing security advisory, protective services, and crisis management for multinational corporations and high-net-worth individuals. Comparable to GDBA in providing internationally deployed executive protection and threat assessment for senior leaders.
• World Protection Group: World Protection Group provides executive protection, threat assessment, and security consulting for celebrities, executives, and at-risk families. It is a smaller but directly comparable boutique competitor in the high-end personal protection niche that GDBA defines.

Emerging players

• The Soufan Group: The Soufan Group is a strategic security and intelligence advisory firm with deep former-CIA/FBI talent serving corporate and government clients. It overlaps GDBA on high-end advisory, intelligence, and threat-related consulting rather than field protective services.
• RECON Security Group: RECON Security Group provides executive protection, threat management, and training services to corporate and high-net-worth clients. It is a comparable niche competitor to GDBA in the protective services and threat assessment training market, though at smaller scale.

Broad incumbents

• International SOS: International SOS provides travel risk management, medical and security assistance, and crisis response to multinationals and governments. It overlaps GDBA on travel security, global threat intelligence, and protective services for traveling executives, but as part of a much wider medical/security platform.
• Allied Universal: Allied Universal is one of the largest security services companies in North America, offering manned guarding, executive protection, and risk consulting. It competes with GDBA on enterprise and government contracts but as a broad incumbent rather than a specialist in high-end public-figure protection.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/gdbaprotects
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gdbaprotects

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gavin De Becker & Associates