Bermuda-domiciled holding company Security Capital Assurance Ltd. (SCA) has appointed Susan Comparato as general counsel.

Ms Comparato will continue to report to CEO, Paul Giordano, and will be responsible for SCA's dealing with all regulatory institutions with oversight as a publicly-traded insurance holding company.

Additionally, she will provide legal counsel and guidance for SCA's business initiatives.

With her appointment, Ms Comparato becomes an SCA executive officer and a member of the company's executive committee.

Prior to taking up her new role, Ms Comparato had served as a managing director and general counsel of XL Capital Assurance Inc. (XLCA), the financial guarantee subsidiary of SCA, since 2004. During that time, she played an integral role in SCA's transition to a public holding company.

Following her appointment, Ms. Comparato will still continue to serve as general counsel of XLCA and remain a member of XLCA's credit and managing committees. Ms Comparato joined XLCA in 2001, serving as associate general counsel with a particular focus on asset-backed securities and collateralised debt obligations in the US and international markets.

Prior to joining XLCA, she worked for Barclays Capital, where she was an associate director, risk finance. Ms Comparato began her career at Sidley & Austin, as an associate attorney in the securitisation group.

Ms Comparato graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a BS in Finance. She received a JD from the College of William and Mary and is also a member of the Association of Financial Guaranty Insurers' government affairs committee.