Female security leader Nina Hobson chatted about strength, trauma, philanthropy and mental resilience in the digital age.
Background on Nina Hobson
Hobson is a two-time Australian “Woman of the Year” finalist and UK “Woman on the Year” finalist who is breaking barriers and ceilings in the male-dominated industry of executive protection.
A former British detective, she is currently the only female Head of Security with her level of expertise for high-profile figures, which range from the late Margaret Thatcher to Bono.
Hobson has a passion for philanthropic works and has spent many years working on the ground with the anti-poaching unit in Zimbabwe, assisting in the operations to capture rhino poachers.
Hobson has also been an advocate for the prevention of sex trafficking and has conducted many operations to recover sex trafficked.
What motivated you each day when you were a detective?
I think it was the fact that I could make a difference in people’s lives. I wanted to help people. I have always had a strong sense of justice, which I inherited from my mum, and I think this has carried me through life.
Now that you’re in executive protection, has that shifted or do you still draw from the same motivation?
I think that is the same, but I am a natural protector—maybe that also comes from being a mum. I want to make a difference; I want to keep people safe. And if I dare admit it, I am motivated by little girl-power moments and have a point to prove.
It’s so funny because my kids say, “Mum, you don’t have anything to prove anymore,” but I think that I do. I think I will always feel like that because I have always worked in a man’s world, often being dismissed due to gender.
The people I work with probably motivate me much more as I’ve gotten older. I work for a company called Torchstone Global, and I look at their call sheet and think to myself, Wow, these guys and girls are amazing—no government could afford the skills of these people in our company.
The difference also is that we all really, really care. That is rare and a huge motivation.
How does it feel to be a part of the digital age?
Old!
Can you talk about the importance of mental health and resilience in this digital age?
Mental health is very close to my heart, having a brother who committed suicide, and I see how the younger generation is affected.
Young people struggle with the fact that everyone appears to have the perfect life on IG and social media, and mental health is affected when we can’t achieve what everyone else appears to have.
Instant gratification, copy culture, perceived accessibility, and familiarity create further issues to me in the security world, but real concerns for the increase in mental health issues.
Behaviors of many high-profile cases we see are now motivated by unrealistic expectations, which in turn links to mental health.
What do your plans for the future include?
To continue to save the world! No, seriously, I want to empower others, mentor others in the industry, and be an advocate for women.
I want my experiences—good, bad, and ugly—to help make a difference. Who knows how that will happen—maybe I will end up consulting on Law & Order, because Olivia Benson is me, haha.
Were there any moments in your career that have helped define you?
Oh, there have been many—all for different reasons. The time I was looked in the eyes by a rape victim made me want to be a detective.
The time I heard my new all-male team say, “We have to get rid of this bitch—f***ing females,” made me want to be the best bitch I could be.
The time I got home from working days on a child abuse case and truly understood that I was human and struggling, and that waking my children up to give them a hug was the most precious thing in the world.
The times I have had to justify my position because I am a female make me wear more pink.
Can you briefly tell us about your philanthropic work?
I am so privileged to have worked for many years in Africa in the fight against rhino poachers.
I worked on the front line and ran covert operations to capture rhino poachers. I also work with the rescue of sex-trafficked children. This is horrifying, dangerous, horrific, rewarding, and very real.
The moment that you have to leave a child on the pavement because you want to save the life of the team, or the moment that you pat yourself on the back for a second after rescuing a child knowing there will be lots more, is the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows.
Both of these causes are my passions and my privileges.
What is your advice for hopefuls who wish to go into the field of executive protection?
Be thick-skinned and leave the ego at home—but please, do it. Follow your desires and don’t ever give up.
Be warned: executive protection is not the glamorous life that we now associate with Hollywood—it’s not the Kevin-and-Whitney moments (oh wow, did that just age me?).
It is a life of commitment, sacrifice (oh, the many sacrifices), sleep deprivation, time zones, and complete dedication. The executive protection role has a small percentage of glamour: hard work, long hours, and constant stress.
You can teach techniques and operational readiness, but you can’t teach character—and this job is about a combination of both. At the end of the day, you are being asked to be bulletproof!
What does the word success mean to you?
Getting everyone home to their loved ones.
Is there anything else you would like to say or add that we did not cover?
I wanted to add that as a woman, an EP has a different role and a different dynamic. There is no room for egos (she laughs from the inside—we all have egos!), but there is a time and a place for everyone in this world.
The quiet, unassuming person, the girl, the boy, the tall, the short—but it’s character that counts and a true understanding of your strengths and weaknesses.
Being a woman, you do have to justify who you are and why you are in the position. Even after 30 years, I still do that.
A 30-year-old male veteran wouldn’t have to, for sure—but you know what? Women rock at this, and for anyone who thinks otherwise, give me a call.
