UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549


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SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTDSYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD.
A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidCanon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street
Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda

NOTICE OF ANNUALSPECIAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS
OF SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTDSYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD.


Hamilton, Bermuda

April 25, 2008January 14, 2009

TO THE HOLDERS OF COMMON SHARES OF SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTD:SYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD.:

Notice is hereby given that the annuala special general meeting of the holders of common shares (the “Shareholders”) of Security Capital Assurance LtdSyncora Holdings Ltd. (the “Company,” or “SCA”“Company”) will be held at the Company’s offices at 1221 Avenue of the A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda,Americas, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10020 on Tuesday, May 20, 2008,February 9, 2009, at 8:3010 a.m. local time, for the following purposes:

 

 

1.

 

 

 

To elect Ms. Mary Hennessy, Mr. Coleman Ross and Mr. Fred Corradoapprove an amendment to bye-law 3 of the Company’s bye-laws (the “Bye- Laws”) so that the Chief Executive Officer need not serve as Class II Directors to hold office until 2011;a Director of the Company;

 

2.

 

 

 

To appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York, New York, asapprove an amendment to bye-law 19 of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm forBye-Laws so that remuneration and benefits of Directors will be determined by the year 2008;Nominating & Governance Committee;

 

3.

 

 

 

To approve the changeamendments to bye-laws 1, 18, 27, 38, 44, 45 and 81 of the Company’s name from SecurityBye-Laws to remove references to the XL Group to reflect that XL Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd;is no longer a shareholder of the Company;

 

4.

 

 

 

To approve amendments to bye-laws 38, 44, 45 and 60 of the Company’s memorandumBye-Laws to transfer certain of association in orderthe original rights of the XL Group under the Bye-Laws to implement certain amendments to the Bermuda Companies Act 1981; andCCRA Purpose Trust (the “SCA Shareholder Entity”);

 

5.

To approve an amendment to bye-law 36 of the Bye-Laws to prohibit shareholders of the Company from adopting resolutions by written consent;

6.

To approve an amendment to bye-law 50 of the Bye-Laws to allow the Company to hold its own shares,i.e., treasury shares;

7.

To approve amendments to bye-laws 3, 53 and 78 of the Bye-Laws to eliminate the requirement that certain deeds and other instruments be executed under the company seal;

8.

To approve amendments to bye-laws 75 and 77 of the Bye-Laws to specify certain documents to which the notice provisions apply, the methods and time periods for delivery and the proof of such delivery;

9.

To approve an amendment to bye-law 60 of the Bye-Laws to impose a mandatory restriction on the transfer of the Company’s equity securities such that no person or group may become a “Five-Percent Shareholder” as therein defined and no existing “Five-Percent Shareholder” may increase its stock ownership;

10.

To approve amendments to bye-laws 31 and 60 to remove references to the Company having to meet the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange in connection with the delisting of the Company by the New York Stock Exchange; and

11.

 

 

 

To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.

The Board of Directors of the Company recommends a vote FOR each of Items 1 through 4.

The Company will also present the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2007 at the annual general meeting pursuant to Bermuda Companies Act 1981 and the Company’s amended and restated bye-laws.10.

Only Shareholders of record, as shown by the transfer books of the Company at the close of business on March 25,December 15, 2008, are entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the annualspecial general meeting. The proxy statement and accompanying materials are first being mailed to Shareholders on April 25, 2008.January 14, 2009.

YOU MAY VOTE YOUR PROXY BY TELEPHONE, INTERNET OR MAIL AS DIRECTED ON THE ENCLOSED PROXY CARD AS PROMPTLY AS POSSIBLE, WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE MEETING. YOU MAY ALSO ATTEND


THE MEETING AND VOTE IN PERSON. IF YOU LATER DESIRE TO REVOKE YOUR PROXY FOR ANY REASON, YOU MAY DO SO IN THE MANNER DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHED PROXY STATEMENT. YOUR SHARES WILL BE VOTED PURSUANT TO THE INSTRUCTIONS CONTAINED IN THE PROXY STATEMENT. IF NO INSTRUCTION IS GIVEN, YOUR SHARES WILL BE VOTED “FOR” ITEMS 1 THROUGH 410 IN THE PROXY.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Shareholder Meeting to beBe Held of May 20, 2008:on February 9, 2009:

 

 

 

 

The proxy statement and annual report to security holders areis available atagm.scafg.commeetings.syncora.com.

 

 

 

 

 

By Order of The Board of Directors,

 

 

/s/ Thomas W.Tom Currie  

 

 

Thomas W.Tom Currie

 

 

Secretary


Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

Page

Proxy Statement for The Annual General Meeting of Holders of Common Shares to Be Held on May 20, 2008

1

Important Information About The AnnualSpecial General Meeting and Proxy Procedures

 

 

 

1

Board of Directors, Board Committees and Corporate Governance

3

Director Compensation

6

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

8

Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions

9

Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance

12

 

Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management

 

 

 

13

Compensation Discussion and Analysis

16

Compensation Committee Report

25

Summary Compensation Table

26

Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table

28

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

29

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2007

30

Pension Benefits

31

Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation

31

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control

31

Audit Committee Report

41

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm Fees

423

 

Matters Scheduled to Be Voted Onon at The Annualthe Special General Meeting to Be Held on
May 20, 2008 February 9, 2009

 

 

 

436

 

Other Matters

 

 

479

 

Shareholder Proposals for 2009 Annual General Meeting

 

 

47

Annual Report for 2007

489

 

Annex A

 

 

 

A-1

 


SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTDSYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD.

PROXY STATEMENT
FOR
THE ANNUALSPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF HOLDERS OF COMMON SHARES
TO BE HELD ON MAY 20, 2008FEBRUARY 9, 2009


IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUALSPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
AND PROXY PROCEDURES

The accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Security Capital Assurance LtdSyncora Holdings Ltd. (the “Company,” or “SCA”“Company”) to be voted at the annualspecial general meeting (“AnnualSpecial General Meeting”) of holders of the Company’s common shares (the “Shareholders” and the “Shares,” respectively) to be held on May 20, 2008,February 9, 2009, beginning at 8:3010 a.m. local time, at the Company’s offices at 1221 Avenue of the A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda,Americas, 31st Floor, New York, NY 10020, and any adjournments thereof. This proxy statement and the accompanying materials are first being mailed to Shareholders on April 25, 2008.January 14, 2009.

The Purpose of the AnnualSpecial General Meeting

At the AnnualSpecial General Meeting, the Shareholders will vote in person or by proxy on the following matterschanges to the Company’s bye-laws (the “Bye-Laws”) as set forth in the notice of the meeting: (1) the electionamendment of Ms. Mary Hennessy, Mr. Coleman Ross and Mr. Fred Corradobye-law 3 so that the Chief Executive Officer need not serve as Class II Directors,a Director of the Company; (2) the appointmentamendment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York, New York (the “Independent Auditor”), asbye-law 19 so that remuneration and benefits of Directors will be determined by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm forNominating & Governance Committee; (3) amendments of bye-laws 1, 18, 27, 38, 44, 45 and 81 to remove references to the year 2008, (3) the approvalXL Group to reflect that XL Capital Ltd is no longer a shareholder of the change of Company’s name from Security Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd andCompany; (4) the approval of amendments to bye-laws 38, 44, 45 and 60 to transfer certain of the Company’s memorandumoriginal rights of association (“Memorandumthe XL Group under the Bye-Laws to CCRA Purpose Trust (the “SCA Shareholder Entity”); (5) the amendment of Association”) in orderbye-law 36 to implementprohibit shareholders of the Company from adopting resolutions by written consent; (6) the amendment of bye-law 50 to allow the Company to hold its own shares,i.e., treasury shares; (7) amendments of bye-laws 3, 53 and 78 to eliminate the requirement that certain deeds and other instruments be executed under the company seal; (8) amendments of bye- laws 75 and 77 to specify certain documents to which the Bermuda Companies Act 1981.

Presentationnotice provisions apply, the methods and time periods for delivery and the proof of Financial Statements

In accordance withsuch delivery; (9) the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 and Bye-Law 71amendment of bye-law 60 to impose a mandatory restriction on the transfer of the Company’s amendedequity securities such that no person or group may become a “Five-Percent Shareholder” as therein defined and restatedno existing “Five-Percent Shareholder” may increase its stock ownership; and (10) amendments of bye-laws (the “Bye-Laws”),31 and 60 to remove references to the Company’s financial statements forCompany having to meet the year ended December 31, 2007 will be presented atrequirements of the Annual General Meeting. The Board of DirectorsNew York Stock Exchange in connection with the delisting of the Company has approved these financial statements. There is no requirement under Bermuda law that these financial statements be approved by Shareholders, and no such approval will be sought at the Annual General Meeting.New York Stock Exchange.

Shareholders Entitled to Vote at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting

Shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 25,December 15, 2008 will be entitled to vote at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting. As of March 25,December 15, 2008, there were 65,275,39064,529,572 outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting, with each Share entitling the holder of record thereof to one vote at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting (subject to certain limitations set forth in the Company’s Bye-Laws—See footnote 23 to the table under “Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management”).

Voting Procedures; Quorum

A Shareholder of record can vote their Shares at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting by attending the meeting and completing a ballot or by proxy in one of three ways: (1) by dating, signing and


completing the proxy card and returning it without delay in the enclosed envelope, which requires no postage stamp if mailed in the United States; (2) over the telephone by calling a toll-free number provided on the enclosed proxy card; or (3) electronically via the internet as described in the enclosed proxy card.


The electionapproval of each nominee for Director referred to in Item 1of proposals (3), (4) and (10) enumerated above the appointment of the Independent Auditor referred to in Item 2 above, the approval of the change of the Company’s name from Security Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd referred to in Item 3 above and the approval of amendment to the Company’s Memorandum of Association in order to implement certain amendments to the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 referred to in Item 4 above, each requirerequires the affirmative vote of a super majority (66 2/3%) of the votes cast ontotal combined voting power of all issued and outstanding Shares of the Company, whether or not such proposalShares are present at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting, provided there is a quorum (consisting of two or more Shareholders present in person or by proxy holding more than 50% of the issued and outstanding Shares entitled to vote at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting). The approval of each of the other proposals requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast on such proposal at the Special General Meeting, provided there is a quorum (as defined above). Shares owned by Shareholders electing to abstain from voting with respect to any proposal and “broker non-votes” will be counted towards the presence of a quorum but will not be considered votes cast with respect to the election of nominees for Director and other mattersproposed amendments to the Bye-Laws to be voted upon at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting. Therefore, abstentions and “broker non-votes” will have no effect on the outcome of the mattersproposed changes to the Bye-Laws to be voted upon at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting. A “broker non-vote” occurs when a nominee, such as a broker, holding Shares in “street name” for a beneficial owner, does not vote on a particular proposal because that nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to a proposal and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner.

A Shareholder of Shares held in “street name” that would like to instruct their broker how to vote their Shares should follow the directions provided by their broker. Please note that because matters such as the approvals of the proposed changes to the Bye-Laws are not regarded as routine by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) rules, currently regard matters such as the ratification of independent public accounting firms and the other proposals to be voted on at the Annual General Meetings as “routine,” a broker is not permitted to vote on suchthe proposals presented in this proxy statement if it does not receive instructions from the Shareholder.

None of the Company’s officers, Directors or any of their associates has a substantial interest in the matters to be acted upon at the Special General Meeting other than as a Shareholder of the Company.

Revocation of Proxies

Any Shareholder giving a proxy has the power to revoke it prior to its exercise by: (1) giving notice of such revocation in writing to the Secretary of the Company at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidSyncora Holdings Ltd., Canon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda; (2) by attending and voting in person at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting; or (3) by executing a subsequent proxy, provided that any such action is taken in sufficient time to permit the necessary examination and tabulation of the subsequent proxy or revocation before the votes are taken. Attendance at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting by a Shareholder who has executed and delivered a proxy to usthe Company shall not in and of itself constitute a revocation of such proxy. If a Shareholder holds their Shares in “street name” by a broker and havehas directed their broker to vote their Shares, they should instruct their broker to change their vote or obtain a proxy to vote their Shares if they wish to cast their vote in person at the AnnualSpecial General Meeting.

Proxy Solicitation

The Company will bear the cost of the solicitation of proxies. Proxies may be solicited by Directors, officers and employees of the Company and its subsidiaries, who will not receive additional compensation for such services. In addition, the Company has retained Georgeson & Company Inc. to assist in the solicitation of proxies for a fee of approximately $8,500$11,000 plus reasonable out-of-pocket expenses and disbursements. Upon request, the Company will also reimburse brokers and others holding Shares in their names, or in the names of nominees, for forwarding proxy materials to their customers.

Additional Information

The Company will furnish, without charge, to any Shareholder a copy of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2007, which is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and is available atagm.scafg.com. Additional copies of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2007, and any exhibits thereto that are not included in the Company’s annual report, may be obtained in a reasonable time without charge upon written request to the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda.

2


BOARD OF DIRECTORS, BOARD COMMITTEES AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

The Board of Directors

The Company’s Bye-Laws provide that the Board of Directors (the “Board”) shall be divided into three classes, designated as “Class I”, “Class II” and “Class III,” with each class consisting as nearly as possible of one-third of the total number of Directors constituting the entire Board. The term of office for each Director in Class I expires at the 2010 Annual General Meeting; the term of office for each Director in Class II expires at the 2008 Annual General Meeting; and the term of office for each Director in Class III expires at the 2009 Annual General Meeting of the Company. At each Annual General Meeting, the successors of the class of Directors whose term expires at that meeting shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the Annual General Meeting to be held in the third year following the year of their election.

In 2007, there were eight meetings of the Board and each of our Directors attended 75% or more of such meetings during the period in which he or she was a director. In addition, in 2007, each of our Directors attended 75% or more of the committee meetings for Board committees for which he or she was a member during the period he or she was a member. Formal meetings of the Board and Board committees are supplemented periodically by informational meetings and/or informational telephone calls. In 2007, there were thirteen such informational calls. The Company does not have a policy with regard to Director’s attendance at Annual General Meetings of Shareholders. All of the Company’s Directors attended the 2007 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders.

In connection with each regularly scheduled meeting of the Board, non-management Directors meet in an executive session without any member of management in attendance. The Board considers annually the selection of a non-management Director to serve as presiding Director at the executive sessions of non-management Directors. Michael P. Esposito, Jr. is the non-management Director that the Board has selected to preside over these sessions. In addition, starting in 2007, the independent Directors meet as a group at least annually.

On November 26, 2007, Brian O’Hara resigned without conflict from the Board. Mr. O’Hara, President, Chief Executive Officer and Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of XL Capital Ltd, had been a member of the Board since August 2006. Mr. O’Hara served as Chairman of the Company’s Compensation Committee. Fred Corrado was appointed by the Board on April 9, 2008 as a Class II Director to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. O’Hara.

On December 27, 2007 Alan Z. Senter resigned without conflict from the Board. Mr. Senter had been a member of the Board since August 2006. Mr. Senter served as Chairman of the Audit Committee. Paul E. Hellmers was appointed by the Board on April 9, 2008 as a Class I Director to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mr. Senter.

Independence Standards

The Board has adopted standards to assist it in making determinations as to whether Directors have any material relationships with the Company for purposes of determining their independence under the listing standards of the NYSE and Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Copies of the SCA Director Independence Standards are available under the corporate governance portion of our website, www.scafg.com. In 2007, the Board determined that each of Messrs. Gibbons, Hannon, Lichten and Ross and Ms. Hennessy are independent in accordance with such standards and therefore, the Company is in compliance with the requirement of having a majority of independent directors. In addition, each member of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Nominating & Governance Committee is independent as independence for members of a company’s audit committee, compensation committee or nominating and governance committee, as the case may be, is defined in the NYSE listing standards and Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act, as applicable.

In considering the independence of Mr. Gibbons, the Board took into consideration certain relationships between Colonial Pension Funds Services Ltd. (“Colonial Pension Funds”) and the Company. Mr. Gibbons is a Director and Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors of Colonial

3


Pension Funds, which has been contracted by XL Financial Assurance Ltd (“XLFA”), our wholly-owned subsidiary, to provide group pension benefit services to employees of XLFA in Bermuda. Colonial Pension Funds did not receive payments from SCA for services in an amount that, in any of the least three fiscal years, exceeds the greater of $1 million or 2% of Colonial Pension Fund’s consolidated gross revenues.

Code of Conduct

The Company revised its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all of the Company’s Directors, officers and employees, on July 31, 2007 to update and expand its scope in order to implement best corporate practices. The Company has also adopted a Code of Ethics for SCA’s Senior Financial Officers applicable to the Company’s chief financial officer, controller and other persons performing similar functions. Copies of the codes are available on the corporate governance portion of our website, www.scafg.com, and the Company will post on its website any amendment to or waiver under the codes granted to any of its Directors or executive officers.

Committees

The Board has established an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, a Nominating & Governance Committee, and a Finance and Risk Oversight Committee.

Audit Committee

Messrs. Ross (Chairman) and Gibbons and Ms. Hennessy comprise the Audit Committee. The Company expects that Mr. Corrado will be appointed to the Audit Committee. The Board has determined that Mr. Ross is an “audit committee financial expert” (as that term is defined in Instruction to Item 407(d)(5)(i) of Regulation S-K) and that Mr. Gibbons and Ms. Hennessy are “financially literate” (as that term is defined in the NYSE rules). The Audit Committee met nine times during 2007 and held one informational meeting in 2007.

The Audit Committee operates under a written charter, which is posted on the Company’s website atwww.scafg.com. Under the charter, the Audit Committee’s primary purpose is to assist in the Board’s oversight of the integrity of the Company’s financial statements, including its system of internal controls, the Independent Auditor’s qualifications, independence and performance, the performance of the Company’s internal audit function and the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. The Audit Committee is directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the Independent Auditor in preparing or issuing an audit report and performing other audit, review or attestation services for the Company.

Compensation Committee

Messrs. Hannon (Chairman), Lichten and Gibbons comprise the Compensation Committee. The Company expects that Mr. Hellmers will be appointed to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee met six times during 2007.

The Compensation Committee operates under a written charter, which is posted on the Company’s website atwww.scafg.com. Under the charter, the Compensation Committee reviews the performance and compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and other senior executives and has overall responsibility for approving and evaluating compensation and benefit plans of the Company. The Compensation Committee may form and delegate authority to subcommittees when appropriate. In addition, the Compensation Committee has sole authority to retain and terminate any compensation consultant to be used to assist in the evaluation of the Chief Executive Officer or senior executive compensation.

Nominating & Governance Committee

Messrs. Lichten (Chairman), Gibbons and Ross and Ms. Hennessy comprise the Nominating & Governance Committee. The Nominating & Governance Committee met five times during 2007.

4


The Nominating & Governance Committee operates under a written charter, which is posted on the Company’s website atwww.scafg.com. Under the charter, the Nominating & Governance Committee makes recommendations to the Board as to nominations for the Board and Board committee memberships and compensation for Board and Board committee members, as well as structural, governance and procedural matters. The Nominating & Governance Committee also reviews the performance of the Board and the Company’s succession planning.

Identifying and Evaluating Nominees.The Nominating & Governance Committee is responsible for reviewing with the Board, on an annual basis, the requisite skills and characteristics of new Board members as well as the composition of the Board as a whole. When the Board determines to seek a new member, whether to fill a vacancy or otherwise, the Nominating & Governance Committee will utilize third-party search firms and consider recommendations from Board members, management and others, including Shareholders. In general, the Nominating & Governance Committee will look for new members possessing superior business judgment and integrity who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavor and who have knowledge or experience in the areas of insurance, reinsurance, financial services or other aspects of the Company’s business, operations or activities.

Nominees Recommended by Shareholders. The Nominating & Governance Committee will consider for Director nominees persons recommended by Shareholders, who may submit recommendations to the Nominating & Governance Committee in care of the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda. To be considered by the Nominating & Governance Committee, such recommendations must be accompanied by a description of the qualifications of the proposed candidate and a written statement from the proposed candidate that he or she is willing to be nominated and desires to serve if elected. Nominees for Director who are recommended by Shareholders to the Nominating & Governance Committee will be evaluated in the same manner as any other nominee for Director. Nominations by Shareholders may also be made at an Annual General Meeting in the manner set forth under “Shareholder Proposals for 2009 Annual General Meeting.”

Finance and Risk Oversight Committee

Messrs. Esposito (Chairman), Giordano, Hannon and Lichten and Ms. Hennessy comprise the Finance and Risk Oversight Committee. The Company expects that Messrs. Corrado and Hellmers will be appointed to the Finance and Risk Oversight Committee. The Finance and Risk Oversight Committee met seven times during 2007.

The Finance and Risk Oversight Committee establishes and recommends the financial policies of the Company and reviews the Company’s capital structure, issuances of securities, dividend policy, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures, significant strategic investments, overall investment policy and performance, and annual business plan and budget. In addition, the Finance and Risk Oversight Committee oversees the Board’s responsibility in establishing the Company’s risk tolerance and overseeing the proposals for establishment and implementation of standards, controls, limits, guidelines and policies relating to risk assessment and risk management.

Communications with Members of the Board of Directors and its Committees

Shareholders and other interested persons may communicate directly with one or more Directors (including the presiding Director or all non-management Directors as a group) by writing to them in care of the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda and specifying the intended recipient(s). All such communications will be preliminarily reviewed by the Secretary and then forwarded to the appropriate Director(s), except that advertisements or other commercial solicitations or communications will not be distributed to Directors.

Website Access to Governance Documents

The Company’s Director Independence Standards, Corporate Governance Guidelines, Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, Code of Ethics for SCA Senior Financial Officers, the charters for the

5


Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Finance and Risk Oversight Committee and Nominating & Governance Committee, and other Company ethics and governance materials are available free of charge on the Company’s website atwww.scafg.comor by writing to Investor Relations, Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 Reid Street, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda.

DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth the compensation of all the Directors for services rendered in the last completed fiscal year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name(1)(2)

 

Fees
Earned or
Paid in
Cash(3)(4)

 

Stock
Awards
($)(5)

 

Option
Awards
($)(6)

 

Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
($)

 

Change in
Pension Value
and Non-
qualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings

 

All Other
Compensation

 

Total ($)

Michael P. Esposito, Jr.  

 

 

 

62,083

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

141,046

 

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brian M. O’Hara

 

 

 

59,083

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

138,046

 

E. Grant Gibbons

 

 

 

74,250

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

153,213

 

Bruce G. Hannon

 

 

 

68,250

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

147,213

 

Mary R. Hennessy

 

 

 

41,250

  

 

 

31,630

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

131,468

 

Robert M. Lichten

 

 

 

79,333

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

158,296

 

Coleman D. Ross

 

 

 

71,250

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

150,213

 

Alan Z. Senter

 

 

 

72,667

  

 

 

20,375

  

 

 

58,588

  

 

 

 

 

 

151,630

 


(1)

Paul S. Giordano, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer receives no separate compensation for his service as a Director. The compensation received by Mr. Giordano as an officer of the Company is shown in the Summary Compensation Table.

(2)

Mr. O’Hara is an employee of XL Capital Ltd and a director of XL Capital Ltd and was a director of the Company through November 26, 2007. Mr. Esposito was also a director of XL Capital Ltd. Fees earned by Mr. O’Hara during 2007 and fees earned by Mr. Esposito in January 2007 were payable to XL Capital Ltd. Beginning in February 2007, fees earned by Mr. Esposito were paid directly to him. The compensation for Mr. Esposito and Mr. O’Hara is further described under “Cash Compensation Paid to Board Members.”

(3)

Includes the annual retainer fee of $30,000 paid to each Director, effective May 4, 2008, except for Ms. Hennessey who deferred 100% of her cash retainer fee and received restricted Share units as per the following chart. Such restricted Share units were vested on the date of grant. Ms. Hennessy also received dividends on the restricted Shares which are included below.

 

 

 

 

 

Date of Award

 

Number of
restricted Shares

 

Share Price
(fair market value
on grant date)

3/30/2007

 

 

 

265.67

  

 

$

 

28.23

 

6/29/2007

 

 

 

243.13

  

 

$

 

30.87

 

09/28/2007

 

 

 

328.82

  

 

$

 

22.84

 

12/31/2007

 

 

 

1932.33

  

 

$

 

3.89

 

(4)

Includes (i) $1778 for Mr. Lichten, which represents a portion of the $7,500 annual fee for acting as Chairman of the Nominating and Governance Committee, (ii) $2,111 for Mr. Esposito, which represents a portion of the $7,500.00 annual fee for acting as Chairman of the Finance and Risk Oversight Committee, and (iii) for all Directors, with limited exceptions, a per Board and information meeting attendance fee of $1,250 and a per committee attendance fee of $1,000. During 2007, Mr. Esposito did not receive any additional fees for acting as Chairman of the Board. The annual fees for serving as Committee Chairman represents a blended rate (4/12 at the old annual rate and 8/12 at the new annual rate) as the rates were increased effective May 4, 2007.

6


(5)

On May 4, 2007, all Directors (other than Mr. Giordano) were granted 950 restricted Share units, at a fair market value of $32.17 as of the date of the grant. These Shares will vest on the anniversary of the date of grant. In addition, Ms. Hennessey received additional restricted Share units set forth in footnote 3 above which were vested on the date of grant. Amounts are calculated using the provisions of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 123R, “Share Based Payments.” See “Stock Based and Long-Term Compensation Plans” under Note 20 of the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 regarding assumptions underlying valuations of equity awards. The aggregate number of restricted Share units held by each Director (other than Mr. Giordano) as of December 31, 2007 is 950, except for Ms. Hennessey who held 3,720 restricted Share units.

(6)

Amounts are calculated using the provisions of SFAS No. 123R, “Share Based Payments”. The aggregate number of options held by each Director (other than Mr. Giordano) as of December 31, 2007 is 25,000 except for Mr. Esposito and Mr. O’Hara who held no options.

Cash Compensation Paid to Board Members

During 2007, all Directors (other than Mr. Giordano who is an officer of the Company) received a portion of an annual retainer of $30,000, (effective May 4, 2007) plus $1,250 per meeting, including most informational meetings. At the May 4, 2007 meeting of the Board, the Board approved an increase in the fees paid to the Chairmen of the various committees. The annual cash retainer fee for the Audit Committee Chairman was increased from $7,500 to $10,000. The annual cash retainer fee for the Chairmen of the other Committees increased from $4,000 to $7,500. All members of Committees received a $1,000 attendance fee for each meeting and for most informational meetings. Mr. O’Hara is an employee of XL Capital Ltd and a director of XL Capital Ltd and was a director of the Company through November 26, 2007. For most of 2007, Mr. Esposito was a director of XL Capital Ltd. Fees earned by Mr. O’Hara during 2007 and fees earned by Mr. Esposito in January 2007 were payable to XL Capital Ltd. Beginning in February 2007, fees earned by Mr. Esposito were paid directly to him. On January 1, 2007, Ms. Hennessy elected to defer receipt of her cash retainer of $30,000 and receive restricted Share units.

Pursuant to the transition agreement between XL Capital Ltd (“XL Capital”) and its subsidiaries and the Company and its subsidiaries entered into in connection with the Company’s initial public offering (the “IPO”) which closed on August 4, 2006 (the “IPO Closing Date”), XL Capital received the right to nominate a certain number of directors to the Board. In March 2008, XL Capital nominated Fred Corrado and Paul E. Hellmers and the Board elected such directors on April 9, 2008. In addition to the compensation to be paid by the Company in 2008 to Messrs. Corrado and Hellmers for their services as Directors, they will also receive certain payments from XL Capital in 2008 for serving on the Company’s Board. See “Certain Relationships and Related Person Transactions—Director Compensation and Indemnification.”

Options Granted to Board Members

No options were granted to Board Members in 2007.

Shares Granted to Board Members

On May 4, 2007, each Director (other than Mr. Giordano) was granted an award of 950 restricted Share units. The Share price on the grant date was $32.17. These Shares vest on the anniversary of the date of grant. In addition, Ms. Hennessey received additional restricted Share units in connection with her election to defer receipt of her cash retainer fee. See footnote 3 above which shows the grant date, number of Shares awarded and the Share price. These Shares vested immediately upon grant.

Director Share Ownership Guidelines

On May 3, 2007, the Company adopted share ownership guidelines for independent Directors. Pursuant to such guidelines, each independent Director will be required to hold three times the annual cash retainer of $30,000. The Directors will have four years to achieve the required ownership level.

7


COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

The following people served on our Compensation Committee during the year 2007: Bruce G. Hannon (Chairman), Robert M. Lichten, E. Grant Gibbons and Brian O’Hara. None of these individuals (1) served as an officer or employee of the Company during 2007, (2) was formerly an officer of the Company or (3) had any relationship otherwise requiring disclosure in this proxy statement, except for Mr. O’Hara who served as President, Chief Executive Officer and Acting Chairman of the Board of Directors of XL Capital. Mr. O’Hara resigned from the Board on November 26, 2007.

During the year 2007, none of our executive officers served as a member of a compensation committee (or other body performing a similar role) of another entity, any of whose executive officers served on our Compensation Committee; none of our executive officers served as a director of another entity, any of whose executive officers served on our Compensation Committee; and none of our executive officers served as a member of the compensation committee (or other body performing a similar role) of another entity, any of whose executive officers served as one of our directors.

8


CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED PERSON TRANSACTIONS

On November 5, 2007, the Board revised its written policies and procedures relating to the approval or ratification of transactions with “Related Persons” to provide clarification and improve efficiency with respect to the approval procedure. Under these policies and procedures, Company management is required to present to the Nominating & Governance Committee any related person transactions other than ordinary course related person transactions proposed to be entered into by the Company. In reviewing proposed related person transactions, the Nominating & Governance Committee considers, among other things, whether such transactions are on terms comparable to those that could be obtained in arm’s-length dealings with an unrelated third party and reviews such transactions to ensure that the terms are arm’s-length or otherwise fair to the Company. The Nominating & Governance Committee then approves or disapproves such transactions and at each subsequent Nominating & Governance Committee meeting, Company management is required to update the Nominating & Governance Committee as to any material change to those transactions that have been previously approved by the Nominating & Governance Committee. On an annual basis, Company management will provide the Nominating & Governance Committee a list of all existing related person transactions and, if applicable, the volume of business transacted thereunder. No Director may participate in any discussion or approval of a related person transaction for which he or she is a related person. Copies of our policy are available without charge under the corporate governance portion of our website, www.scafg.com.

In connection with the Company’s IPO, the Company entered into a number of transactions with affiliates of XL Capital, a major Shareholder of the Company. The Company also has reinsurance agreements in place with affiliates of XL Capital.

Concurrent with the IPO, the Company entered into arrangements with affiliates of XL Capital: (1) to provide it protection with respect to adverse development on certain transactions, (2) to have exposures transferred to it or re-assume exposures under certain financial guarantee policies that were originally reinsured to, or written on behalf of, the Company by XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd (“XLI”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of XL Capital, due principally to single risk constraints and rating agency capital adequacy requirements applicable to the Company at the time that business was first written, (3) to cancel the Company’s reinsurance of certain non-financial guarantee business ceded to it by XLI, and (4) to govern certain aspects of Company’s relationship with XL Capital after the IPO, including a series of service agreements under which subsidiaries of XL Capital will provide certain services to the Company or receive certain services from the Company for a period of time after the IPO. The aforementioned arrangements are discussed further below.

In addition, in connection with the IPO, XL Capital agreed to fund a portion of long-term compensation awarded by XL Capital to employees of SCA prior to the IPO and which remained outstanding under XL Capital’s long-term compensation plans subsequent to the IPO. XL Capital charges approximately 60% of the periodic charges from such long-term compensation to SCA. The aggregate remaining future cost of such long-term compensation to SCA is approximately $1.0 million at December 31, 2007, of which SCA will pay XL Capital approximately $0.6 million and XL Capital will fund $0.4 million.

Services Agreements with Affiliates

Prior to the IPO, the Company purchased various services from affiliates of XL Capital under various agreements and continued to purchase such services under new agreements that became effective at the date of the IPO. Such services principally include: (1) information technology support, (2) reinsurance and retrocessional consulting and management services and (3) actuarial, finance, legal, internal audit services and certain investment management services. Since the IPO, the Company has undertaken to perform certain of the services itself or to outsource such services to other vendors and has, accordingly, discontinued the purchase of many of the services that were provided by XL Capital. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company incurred costs under the aforementioned agreements aggregating $4.3 million.

9


Employee Benefit Plans

The Company maintains a qualified defined contribution pension plan for the benefit of all eligible employees and a non-qualified deferred compensation plan for the benefit of certain employees (collectively, the “SCA Plans”). Prior to the IPO, XL America, Inc (“XLA”), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of XL Capital, maintained plans, with substantially the same terms, which employees of the Company participated in (the “XLA Plans”). Discretionary contributions to the SCA Plans and the XLA Plans are based on a fixed percentage of employee contributions and compensation, as defined in the aforementioned plans. For the year ended December 31, 2007, the Company incurred costs under the aforementioned plans aggregating $5.2 million.

Reinsurance Agreements With Affiliates and Other Guarantees

The Company has the following reinsurance agreements with affiliates. Certain of the agreements discussed below may be terminated under certain conditions, as defined in the agreements.

Effective July 1, 2007, XLFA, our wholly-owned subsidiary, ceded certain business to XLI, aggregating approximately $3.7 billion of guaranteed par/notional exposure, under an existing facultative quota share reinsurance agreement. As a result of this transaction, on such date, XLFA ceded premiums of $16.3 million to XLI and received a ceding commission allowance of $6.6 million from XLI.

Effective August 4, 2006, certain subsidiaries of XL Capital indemnified the Company for all losses and loss adjustment expenses incurred in excess of its retained reserves at the effective date of the agreement relating to an insured project financing. In consideration for the aforementioned indemnifications the Company is obligated to pay such affiliates approximately $9.8 million on an installment basis over the life of the aforementioned project financing. The total remaining par insured by the Company in connection with this project financing (net of applicable carried case reserves before reinsurance) aggregated approximately $204.6 million at December 31, 2007. After the reinsurance indemnity and the $8.7 million net case basis reserve carried on the Company’s books, the Company has no remaining net exposure to this transaction.

Effective August 4, 2006, XLA has undertaken to indemnify the Company for any diminution in value below their carrying value at June 30, 2006 of certain notes that were insured by the Company and collateralized by loans to medical providers, which notes were acquired in connection with the satisfaction of a claim under a financial guarantee insurance policy issued by XL Capital Assurance Inc. (“XLCA”), our wholly-owned subsidiary. In addition, pursuant to the aforementioned indemnity, XLA agreed to indemnify the Company for any costs arising out of any litigation or future claim in connection with the aforementioned insurance policy.

On August 4, 2006, XLFA and XLI agreed to cancel from inception the reinsurance of certain business ceded under a facultative quota share reinsurance treaty that was effective since 1999. As a result of this cancellation, XLFA paid XLI $0.2 million and XLI assumed XLFA’s obligation for $1.2 million of reserves for losses and loss adjustment expenses. In addition, on such date, XLFA assumed certain business from XLI pursuant to the aforementioned reinsurance treaty. As a result thereof, XLFA recorded assumed premiums of approximately $8.0 million, ceding commissions of approximately $1.0 million and received cash from XLI of approximately $7.0 million.

Effective October 1, 2001, XLFA entered into an excess of loss reinsurance agreement with XLI. This agreement covers a portion of XLFA’s liability arising as a result of losses on policies written by XLFA that are in excess of certain limits and are not covered by other reinsurance agreements. This agreement provides indemnification only for the portion of any loss covered by this agreement in excess of 10% of XLFA’s surplus, up to an aggregate amount of $500 million, and excludes coverage for liabilities arising other than pursuant to the terms of an underlying policy. XLFA ceded losses under this agreement aggregating $259.4

10


million during the year ended December 31, 2007. There were no losses ceded by XLFA under this agreement prior to 2007. At December 31, 2007, the Company had a recoverable from XLI under this agreement of $259.4 million. The ceded losses of $259.4 million represent the present value (discounted at 5.1%) of the full limit loss of $500 million under this agreement. The Company incurred an expense under the excess of loss reinsurance agreement of $8.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2007. The expense recorded in 2007 reflects all future ceded premium that the Company will be required to pay under the reinsurance agreement over the remaining average life of the loss payments and recoveries noted above, in order for the agreement to remain in-force and the Company recover the aforementioned ceded losses.

Effective November 1, 2002 and as amended and restated as of March 1, 2007, XLCA is party to a facultative reinsurance arrangement (the “XL Re Treaty”) with XL RE AM, an affiliate of XL Capital. Under the terms of the XL Re Treaty, XL RE AM agrees to reinsure risks insured by XLCA under financial guarantee insurance policies up to the amount necessary for XLCA to comply with single risk limitations set forth in Section 6904(d) of the New York Insurance Laws. Such reinsurance was on an automatic basis prior to the effective date of the IPO and is on a facultative basis on and after the effective date of the IPO. The reinsurance provided by XL RE AM may be on an excess of loss or quota share basis. The Company is allowed up to a 30% ceding commission (or such other percentage on an arm’s-length basis) on ceded premiums written under the terms of this agreement.

Since it commenced operations, XLFA has entered into several reinsurance arrangements with subsidiaries and affiliates of Financial Security Assurance Holdings Ltd. (“FSAH”) (such subsidiaries and affiliates hereafter referred to as “FSA”) to reinsure certain policies issued by FSA which guarantee the timely payment of the principal of and interest on various types of debt obligations. FSAH is the sole shareholder of the Company’s Series A redeemable preferred shares which have a stated value of $39.0 million at December 31, 2007. XLFA’s obligations under certain of these arrangements are guaranteed by XLI. Effective upon the IPO, the guarantee was terminated with respect to all new business assumed by XLFA under such arrangement, but the guarantee remains in effect with respect to cessions under the agreement prior to the IPO. Premiums assumed by XLFA under its reinsurance arrangements with FSA represented 78% of the Company’s total reinsurance premiums assumed for the year ended December 31, 2007.

XLFA has guaranteed certain of XLI’s obligations in connection with certain transactions where XLI’s customer required such credit enhancement. Each of these transactions has a “double trigger” structure, meaning that XLFA does not have to pay a claim unless both the underlying transaction and XLI default. For each of these transactions, XLFA has entered into a reimbursement agreement with XLI, pursuant to which XLI pays XLFA a fee for providing its guarantee and XLI grants XLFA a security interest in a portion of the payments received by it from its client. As of December 31, 2007, XLFA’s aggregate net par outstanding relating to such guarantees was $511.1 million.

Effective May 1, 2004, XLI entered into an agreement with XLCA which unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees to XLCA the full and complete payment when due of all of XLFA’s obligations under its facultative quota share reinsurance agreement with XLCA, under which agreement XLFA has assumed business from XLCA since December 19, 2000. The par value of business guaranteed by XLI under this agreement was approximately $77.5 billion as of December 31, 2007. The XLI guarantee agreement terminated with respect to any new business produced by XLCA and ceded to XLFA pursuant to the facultative quota share reinsurance agreement after the effective date of the IPO, but the guarantee remains in effect with respect to cessions under the agreement prior to the IPO.

The Company provides financial guarantee insurance policies insuring timely payment of investment agreements issued by XL Asset Funding Company I LLC (“XLAF”), a wholly owned subsidiary of XL Capital. These investment agreements contain ratings triggers based on the rating of XLCA, substantially all of which were triggered upon XLCA’s recent

11


downgrades by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services and Fitch Ratings. XLAF may be required to repay or collateralize these investment agreements, and as guarantor of XLAF’s obligations, XLCA may be required to repay these amounts should the assets in XLAF’s investment portfolio prove insufficient or should XLAF otherwise fail to perform its obligations thereunder. As of December 31, 2007, the aggregate face amount of such investment agreements guaranteed by XLCA was $4.0 billion. To date, XLCA has not had any claim with respect to these investment agreements nor has it been required to collateralize any of these investment agreements. Although XLAF is a wholly-owned subsidiary of XL Capital, XL Capital is not contractually obligated to support XLAF under its obligations under the investment agreements. XL Capital has, however, communicated to XLCA and publicly disclosed its intent to settle all such liabilities by the end of March 2008. Accordingly, XLCA does not expect to incur any claims under its insurance of XLAF’s investment agreements. As of April 4, 2008, the remaining aggregate face amount outstanding of such investment agreements was less than $20 million.

In addition, the Company insures XLAF’s obligations under certain derivative contracts issued and purchased by XLAF. As of December 31, 2007, the total notional value of such contracts insured was $162.9 million.

Director Compensation and Indemnification

XL Capital has entered into agreements with Paul Hellmers and Fred Corrado who became members of the Board effective April 9, 2008. Pursuant to these agreements, XL Capital will indemnify Messrs. Hellmers and Corrado for any expenses or losses incurred by them in their capacity as members of the Board. These agreements also provide that XL Capital will pay each of Mr. Hellmers and Mr. Corrado a cash payment of $50,000 upon their appointment to the Board, and, at the beginning of each subsequent three-month period, a cash payment in an amount to be determined by XL Capital based on the time spent on Board matters, but in no event less than $35,000 or greater than $50,000 for each three-month period. In addition, in the event XL Capital requests that Mr. Hellmers or Mr. Corrado resign as a member of the Board prior to April 8, 2009 and such Director resigns, XL Capital will make a cash payment to him equal to $155,000 (provided the Director attended all Board and applicable committee meetings), reduced by any prior payments made by XL Capital pursuant to the agreement.

SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Company’s Directors and executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the Company’s equity securities to file with the SEC and the NYSE reports on Forms 3, 4 and 5 concerning their ownership of the Shares and other equity securities of the Company.

Based on a review of such reports, the Company believes that all of its executive officers, Directors and those greater-than-10% Shareholders filed all reports required to be filed on a timely basis during the year ended December 31, 2007, except that Ms. Hennessy did not timely file one Form 4 due to an administrative error by the Company.

12


SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The following table sets forth certain information as of March 25,December 15, 2008 with respect to the ownership of Shares by:

 

 

 

 

each person or group that was, to the Company’s knowledge, the beneficial owner of more than 5% of the Company’s outstanding Shares;

 

 

 

 

each Director of the Company;

 

 

 

 

each named executive officer of the Company; and

 

 

 

 

all Directors and executive officers of the Company as a group.

The Shares are currently the only class of voting securities of the Company. As of March 25,December 15, 2008, there were 65,275,39064,529,572 Shares outstanding. The amounts and percentages of Shares beneficially owned are reported on the basis of the SECSecurities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulations governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under SEC rules, a person is deemed to be a “beneficial owner” of a security if that person has or shares voting power or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of such security. A person is also deemed to be a beneficial owner of any securities of which that person has a right to acquire beneficial ownership within 60 days. Securities that can be so acquired are deemed to be outstanding for purposes of computing such person’s ownership percentage, but not for purposes of computing any other person’s percentage. Under these rules, more than one person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of the same securities and a person may be deemed to be a beneficial owner of securities as to which such person has no economic interest.

Except as otherwise indicated in the footnotes to this table, each of the beneficial owners listed has, to the Company’s knowledge, sole voting and investment power with respect to the indicated Shares. Unless otherwise indicated, the address for each individual listed below is c/o Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidSyncora Holdings Ltd., Canon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name of Beneficial Owner

 

Number of
Shares

 

Exercisable
Options(1)

 

Total

 

Percent of
Class

 

Number of
Shares

 

Exercisable
Options(1)

 

Total

 

Percent of
Class

XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd(2)(3)

 

 

 

30,069,049

  

 

 

16,668

  

 

 

30,085,717

  

 

 

46.09

%

 

SCA Shareholder Entity(2)(3)

 

 

 

30,069,049

  

 

 

 

30,069,049

  

 

 

46.60

%

 

Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc.(3)(4)

 

 

 

9,896,885

  

 

 

 

9,896,885

  

 

 

15.16

%

 

 

 

6,484,502

  

 

 

6,484,502

  

 

10.05

%

 

Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC(3)(5)

 

 

 

4,268,000

  

 

 

 

4,268,000

  

 

 

6.54

%

 

 

 

 

4,261,500

  

 

 

 

4,261,500

  

 

 

6.60

%

 

Directors and Executive Officers:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

61,586

  

 

 

11,211

  

 

 

72,797

  

*

Michael P. Esposito, Jr.

 

 

 

50,950

  

 

 

 

50,950

  

*

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

266,140

  

 

 

175,413

  

 

 

441,553

  

*

Susan Comparato

 

 

65,224

  

 

 

65,224

  

*

Michael P. Esposito, Jr

 

 

 

83,917

  

 

 

 

83,917

  

*

E. Grant Gibbons

 

 

 

950

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

9,284

  

*

 

 

 

33,917

  

 

 

25,000

  

 

 

58,917

  

*

Bruce G. Hannon

 

 

 

11,000

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

19,334

  

*

 

 

 

43,967

  

 

 

25,000

  

 

 

68,967

  

*

Mary R. Hennessy

 

 

 

5,120

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

13,454

  

*

Duncan P. Hennes

 

 

 

11,650

  

 

 

 

11,650

  

*

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

61,586

  

 

 

 

61,586

  

*

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

72,258

  

 

 

2,834

  

 

 

75,092

  

*

 

 

 

72,258

  

 

 

100,000

  

 

 

172,258

  

*

Robert M. Lichten

 

 

 

6,950

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

15,284

  

*

 

 

 

37,917

  

 

 

25,000

  

 

 

62,917

  

*

Brian O’Hara

 

 

 

 

*

Michael Rego

 

 

 

41,967

  

 

 

4,584

  

 

 

46,551

  

*

Edward J. Muhl

 

 

 

11,650

  

 

 

 

11,650

  

*

Thomas S. Norsworthy

 

 

 

11,650

  

 

 

 

11,650

  

*

Coleman D. Ross

 

 

 

8,950

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

17,284

  

*

 

 

 

37,917

  

 

 

25,000

  

 

 

62,917

  

*

Alan Z. Senter

 

 

 

950

  

 

 

8,334

  

 

 

9,284

  

*

David P. Shea

 

 

 

62,031

  

 

 

11,523

  

 

 

73,554

  

*

Directors and executive officers of the Company as a group including those named above (17 persons in total)

 

 

 

757,483

  

 

 

261,194

  

 

 

1,018,677

  

 

 

1.56

%

 

Robert J. White

 

 

 

11,650

  

 

 

 

11,650

  

*

Directors and executive officers of the Company as a group including those named above (14 persons in total)

 

 

 

521,152

  

 

 

200,000

  

 

 

721,152

  

 

 

1.12

%

 


 

 

*

 

 

 

Represents less than 1% of Shares beneficially owned.

 

(1)

 

 

 

For all NEO’s (defined below) other than Paul Giordano,Claude LeBlanc, the amount reflected in this column represents options that have vested that were granted on February 26,December 19, 2007. For Paul Giordano the amount reflected in this column represents a combination of options converted from XL Capital on the IPO Closing Date and options granted on February 26, 2007 that have since

13


vested. For Directors, the amount reflected in this column represents a pro ratathe vesting of options granted on the IPO Closing Date.initial public offering closing date.

 

(2)

 

 

 

A report on Schedule 13G/A,13D, dated February 14,November 26, 2008, disclosed that XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd isSyncora Private Trust Company Limited, as Trustee of the record owner ofSCA Shareholder Entity owns 30,069,049 Shares of the

3


Company and reported that it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of XL Capital and that each of XL Insurance (Bermuda) Ltd and XL Capital havehas shared voting and dispositive power with respect to such Shares. Their addressShares, qualified by the statement that the filing of such Schedule 13D does not constitute, and should not be construed as an admission that either the Trustee or the Trust beneficially owns any securities covered by this Statement or is One Bermudiana Road, Hamilton, HM 11, Bermuda. Includes 16,668 options earned by Messrs. Espositorequired to file this Statement. In the report, the Trustee and O’Hara as XLI appointed Directors at the timeTrust disclaim beneficial ownership of the IPO that were grantedShares, such Shares being held on behalf of certain parties to XLI.the Master Commutation, Release and Restructuring Agreement, dated as of July 28, 2008 (as amended, the “Master Transaction Agreement”), by and among the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, XL Capital Ltd and certain of its subsidiaries and certain counterparties to credit default swap agreements with certain affiliates of the Company. The Master Transaction Agreement is more fully described in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company on July 30, 2008 and the Current Report on Form 8-K filed on November 3, 2008. The SCA Shareholder Entity was established pursuant to a Declaration of Trust, dated as of November 18, 2008, between the Company and Syncora Private Trust Company Limited, a Bermuda company, as trustee, in accordance with the Master Transaction Agreement, as more fully described in the Current report on Form 8-K filed on November 21, 2008.

 

(3)

 

 

 

Each Share has one vote, except that pursuant to the Company’s Bye-Laws:

 

(I)

 

 

 

if and for so long as (and whenever) the votes of a Shareholder, including any votes conferred by Controlled Shares (as defined below), would otherwise represent more than 9.5% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares entitled to vote on a matter, including an election of Directors, the votes conferred by such Shares are reduced by whatever amount is necessary such that, after giving effect to any such reduction (and any other reductions in voting power required by the Company’s Bye-Laws), the votes conferred by such Shares shall represent 9.5% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares of the Company entitled to vote on such matter; provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (II) below, no such reduction in votes shall occur with respect to (i) Shares held by any member of the XL Group (as defined below) or (ii) Shares transferred by the XL Group to any person that is not a member of the XL Group in a transaction not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) (or exempt from registration pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act or any successor provision thereof) and, upon the consummation of such transfer, any Shares previously held or subsequently acquired by such person (or an affiliate thereof), but, in each case, only for so long as such person (or an affiliate thereof) continues to hold such Shares (it being understood that this clause (ii) shall not apply to Shares transferred by such person (or an affiliate thereof) to any non-affiliate thereof). “Controlled Shares” in reference to any person, means all Shares directly, indirectly or constructively owned by (i) such person as determined pursuant to Section 958 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder and under Section 957 of the Code (or the relevant successor provisions thereof) or (ii) a “group” of persons within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act.Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”). “XL Group” means XL Capital Ltd and its consolidated subsidiaries;

 

(II)

 

 

 

if and for so long as the votes conferred by Shares held by the XL Group would otherwise represent more than 50.1% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares entitled to vote generally at an election of Directors, the votes conferred by such Shares are reduced by whatever amount is necessary such that, after giving effect to any such reduction, the votes conferred by such Shares shall represent no more than 50.1% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares entitled to vote generally at any election of Directors. If and so long as the votes conferred by Shares held by the XL Group would otherwise represent more than 47.5% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares entitled to vote on a matter (other than the election of Directors), the votes conferred by such Shares held by the XL Group, with respect to voting on such matters, shall represent no more than 47.5% of the aggregate voting power of all Shares entitled to vote on such matter. Either or both of such limitations shall cease to apply, or may be adjusted upwards, upon receipt by the Company of written confirmation from each nationally recognized rating agency then providing a financial strength rating for the Company and/or its subsidiaries that such financial strength rating is

4


or will be determined without reference to the ratings of any member of the XL Group or that the then financial strength rating issued by it will not at the time of such confirmation be adversely affected by the elimination or adjustment of such limitation, and, in the case of any adjustment (as opposed to elimination), the applicable percentages set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph (II) shall automatically be adjusted to those percentages as so determined by the foregoing; provided, however, that, in the event that any such written confirmation shall later be rescinded, such limitation shall be reinstated at a percentage equal to the lesser of (i) such percentage as is required by the rescinding rating agency and (ii) the

14


percentage set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph (II) originally applicable to such limitation;

 

(III)

 

 

 

After having applied the provisions described in paragraphs (I) and (II) above as best as they consider reasonably practicable, the Board may make such final adjustments to the aggregate number of votes conferred, directly or indirectly or by attribution, by the Controlled Shares of any person that they consider fair and reasonable under the circumstances to ensure that such votes represent 9.5%. Such adjustments intended to implement the 9.5% limitation described in paragraph (I) shall be subject to the proviso contained in paragraph (I).

 

(4)

 

 

 

A report on Schedule 13G/A, dated February 14, 2008,13G, filed on January 12, 2009, disclosed that Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc., 26 Reid100 Light Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, HM 11,Baltimore, MD 21202, an investment adviser, beneficially owns 9,896,885owned 6,484,502 Shares of the Company and reported that it has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to such Shares. It reported that various accounts managed by Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc. have the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from or the proceeds from the sale of Shares. One account, Legg Mason Special Investment Trust, Inc., an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and managed by Legg Mason Capital Management, Inc., beneficially holds 6,200,0004,202,041 of the Shares and has shared voting and dispositive power with respect to those Shares.

 

(5)

 

 

 

A report on Form 13F, filed on November 14, 2008, disclosed that Franklin Resources, Inc., One Franklin Parkway, San Mateo, CA 94403, exercises investment discretion with respect to 4,261,500 shares as of September 30, 2008. Previously, a report on Schedule 13G/A, dated February 4, 2008, disclosed that 4,268,000 Shares are beneficially owned by one or more investment companies or other managed accounts that are investment management clients of investment managers that are direct and indirect subsidiaries of Franklin Resources, Inc., including Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC. Franklin Mutual Advisers, LLC reported that it hashad (i) sole power to vote or direct the vote of 4,165,100 Shares and (ii) sole power to dispose or direct the disposition of 4,268,000 Shares. Their address is One Parker Plaza, 9th Floor, Fort Lee, NJ 07024.

15


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

1. Introduction

The Compensation Discussion and Analysis describes the Company’s executive compensation programs for 2007 and certain compensation actions taken in 2008.

In 2007, the Compensation Committee determined not to pay annual cash bonuses to certain executive officers who performed services primarily for the principal business operations of the Company due to the failure to achieve both individual and Company performance goals for 2007. Certain other executive officers whose services were critical to the Company’s strategic goals for 2007 and whose contributions to the Company extended beyond the primary business unit or whose business unit exceeded the objectives of its 2007 business plan were awarded annual bonuses. See “Executive Compensation Program Elements” below for a complete description of these bonuses.

However, in 2007, the Company experienced a decline in its stock value due to adverse market conditions. This decline negatively affected the 2007 compensation payable to certain of our executive officers as well as the value of all officers’ long term incentive compensation in a material way. As a result, the long term compensation ceased to be an effective retention and incentive tool. Therefore, in order for the Company to remain competitive in the marketplace and to retain the executive officers whose employment is critical to the future success of the Company, the Compensation Committee deemed it necessary to adopt a retention program in order to encourage these executive officers to remain with the Company through the end of 2008. See “Executive Compensation Philosophy and Core Principles” below for a complete description of this program.

The objectives of the Company’s executive compensation program are to:

Pay for performance based on the Company achieving its strategic, operational and financial goals and individual executives meeting or exceeding performance expectations.

Attract and retain talented executives to develop and execute our business strategy effectively. Due to the highly competitive nature of hiring quality executives within the financial guarantee industry, our goal is to provide incentives to executives that reflect market practice and motivate them to grow our business and improve profitability consistent with the Company’s overall risk appetite.

Incentivize executives to maximize the creation of shareholder value by designing LTI plans that align their interests with those of Shareholders. Long-term incentive awards will focus, over time, on achieving significant levels of equity ownership for executives. This should encourage management and staff to take appropriate risks with our capital to generate returns for our Shareholders but also to share in the downside risk incumbent with poor performance or losses.

Align our business actions and executives’ behavior with our core values and our pay for performance philosophy.

Our Company’s business principles also help to guide our decisions in assessing executives’ contributions to the Company’s success.

2. Executive Compensation Program Review and Oversight

The objectives of our executive compensation programs have been established by the Compensation Committee of the Board. This committee consists of three directors: Bruce G. Hannon (Chairman), Robert M. Lichten and E. Grant Gibbons. All of the members of the Compensation Committee are independent Directors. The Compensation Committee oversees, evaluates and approves all senior executive compensation actions, as well as the Company’s overall compensation and benefits policies, plans and programs for all employees.

Our Chief Executive Officer, Paul S. Giordano, is responsible for providing recommendations to the Compensation Committee with respect to all compensation actions for the named executive officers, other than himself, as well as the cash incentive pools and the long-term incentive pools for all non-executive employees. We refer to the named executive officers, Messrs. Giordano, Shea,

16


Hubbard, LeBlanc and Rego, as the “NEOs.” The Compensation Committee expects Mr. Giordano to justify his recommendations based on actual performance, relative performance versus the Company’s peers and its business plan, and relative contributions to the overall Company results. Mr. Giordano meets with the Compensation Committee throughout the year to review: (i) the Company’s operating results each year, (ii) how these results compare to the fiscal year’s business plan, and (iii) how the compensation recommendations relate to such performance.

The Compensation Committee has the authority to retain an outside independent executive compensation consultant to assist in the evaluation of executive officer compensation and in order to ensure the objectivity and reasonableness of the actions of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has the sole authority to retain and terminate any such consultant, including sole authority to approve such consultant’s fees and other retention terms. The Compensation Committee has selected Frederic W. Cook & Co. Inc. (the “Cook firm”) as its compensation consultant. The Cook firm assists in the development of compensation programs for our executive officers and our non-employee Directors by providing relevant market trend data, regulatory oversight and corporate governance guidance and by providing comparative benchmark data. As part of the Cook firm’s engagement, our management also has access to its services in developing information to assist the Compensation Committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.

At the direction of the Compensation Committee, our management has worked with the Cook firm to develop information about the compensation of our executive officers for the Compensation Committee to use in making decisions about executive compensation. The Chief Executive Officer and the Head of Human Resources attended all of the meetings of the Compensation Committee other than executive sessions. A representative of the Cook firm attended most of the meetings of the Compensation Committee, including executive sessions. On an annual basis, the Compensation Committee reviews and approves the compensation of the Chief Executive Officer and other NEOs provided that the Chief Executive Officer’s compensation is approved by the independent Directors and the compensation of the other NEOs is approved by the Board.

The following benchmark group was reviewed by the Compensation Committee but was not used to determine 2007 compensation consisted of the following companies in the financial guarantee business: ACA Financial Guarantee Corp., Ambac Financial Group, Inc., Assured Guaranty, Financial Security Assurance Inc., MBIA Inc. and RAM Holdings Ltd.

3. Executive Compensation Philosophy and Core Principles

We are a long-term, results-oriented company and we seek to pay for performance. This is achieved through the fixed elements (salary and benefits) of compensation that do not relate to the performance of the Company, line of business or function, and the executive’s contributions, while leveraging the variable elements (cash bonus and long-term incentives) that relate to, and are paid out, based on performance. Since much of our business requires several years to determine whether we have been successful in our risk assessments, we design our senior executive compensation packages to have a majority of their value in long-term vehicles that align the executive’s interests with our Shareholders tying compensation to the performance of the Company. For all NEOs’ compensation (other than his own), Mr. Giordano makes recommendations to the Compensation Committee. Mr. Giordano’s compensation is at the sole discretion of the Board, as recommended by the Compensation Committee.

The Compensation Committee continues to believe it is essential that the Company’s compensation strategy be results-oriented, linked to long-term Shareholder value and designed to reward top performers in an intensely competitive market for executive talent. Accordingly, the Compensation Committee reviews all aspects of each executive’s compensation in comparison to the relevant market and designs total compensation levels to be competitive within the financial guarantee industry, primarily in the New York and Bermuda markets.

The variable compensation components of our executives’ target pay represents the majority of their total compensation package. The annual cash bonus portion is designed to compensate executives for overall Company performance, performance of their business group (if applicable) and the individual’s contribution for the current year. For 2007, bonus targets range from 100% to 200%

17


of base salary. The Compensation Committee reviewed performance measures, compared them to the business plan, made relevant comparisons to competitors, and assessed the performance of management for the fiscal year. In 2007, the performance metrics were grouped into three broad categories: (i) Profitability, (ii) Growth and (iii) Strategic and Operational Goals. A description of each of these categories and their weighted percentage are as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance Factor

 

Weighting/Description

 

Performance
Metric Target
2007 Budget

 

3Q 2007
YTD

 

2007

Profitability

 

40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Operating return on
equity “ROE”

 

Annualized Operating Income divided by average common shareholders’ equity, less accumulated other comprehensive income “AOCI” and the cumulative after-tax impact of the MtM asset / (liability), as measured on an annual basis for each year in the measuring period.

 

 

 

11.4

%

 

 

 

 

12.6

%

 

 

 

<0

%

 

Core ROE

 

Annualized operating income excluding the impact of refundings divided by average common shareholders’ equity less AOCI and the cumulative after-tax impact of the MtM asset / (liability).

 

 

 

11.0

%

 

 

 

 

11.6

%

 

 

 

<0

%

 

Loss ratio

 

Net losses and loss adjustment expenses divided by net premiums earned.

 

 

 

12.0

%

 

 

 

 

8.2

%

 

 

 

 

322.6

%

 

Expense Ratio

 

Net operating and core ratios expense and net acquisition costs of the Insurance and Reinsurance Segments divided by net premiums earned.

 

 

 

49.6

%

 

 

 

 

47.8

%

 

 

 

 

44.8

%

 

Operating Income

 

Net income excluding realized gains (losses) on investments and realized and unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives.

 

 

$

 

168.0

  

 

$

 

136.5

  

 

$

 

(526.5

)

 

18


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Performance Factor

 

Weighting/Description

 

Performance
Metric Target
2007 Budget

 

3Q 2007
YTD

 

2007

Growth

 

40%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Growth in Operating
Income

 

Growth in net income excluding realized gains (losses) on investments and realized and unrealized gains (losses) on credit derivatives.

 

 

$

 

26.1

  

 

$

 

31.6

  

 

<$0

 

Adjusted gross
premiums written

 

The sum of: (i) upfront premiums written in such period, (ii) current installment premiums due on business written in such period and (iii) expected future installment premiums on contracts written during such period that remain in force and for which there is a binding obligation on the part of the insured to pay the future installments, discounted at 7%.

 

 

$

 

476.3

  

 

$

 

393.5

  

 

$

 

549.1

 

Growth in ABV—
Cash Bonus

 

Growth in common shareholders’ equity (book value) excluding capital contributions plus the after-tax value of the deferred premium, net of prepaid reinsurance premiums and deferred acquisition costs plus the after-tax net present value of future installment premiums, discounted at 7%.

 

 

 

N/A

  

 

$

 

174.4

  

 

<$0

 

Strategic &
Operational Goals

 

20%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Strategic Goals

 

No specific strategic goals were mutually agreed between Management and the Board relating to the annual cash bonus pool. The goals discussed were progress on systems/processes, M&A and joint ventures, financings, new products or asset classes, other business development, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2007, the Compensation Committee determined that the performance measurements were not achieved in the primary business unit of the Company and, as a result, no annual bonuses were awarded to Mr. Giordano, Mr. Shea and Mr. Hubbard. However, because Mr. LeBlanc’s role in the Company was critical to the Company’s business strategy for 2007 and extended beyond the primary business unit, the Compensation Committee, on the recommendation of Mr. Giordano, determined to pay Mr. LeBlanc a cash bonus for 2007. As the executive in charge of corporate development, Mr. LeBlanc was primarily responsible for planning and executing the critical Company initiatives in 2007, which were raising capital, liasing with XL Capital, managing the Company’s relationships with rating agencies and negotiating with counterparties on transactions that would greatly enhance the Company’s capital position. The Compensation Committee determined Mr. LeBlanc performed at a high level in each of these enterprises and any limitations on his success were as a result of (i) the Company’s inability to access new capital in an economically efficient manner and (ii) the broad market conditions which were unfavorable to companies in our line of business. Mr. Rego, the Executive Vice President of XLFA, was also awarded a cash bonus for 2007. The Compensation Committee determined that XLFA surpassed the objectives in its 2007 business plan as a result of Mr. Rego’s leadership and marketing efforts.

In 2007, the Compensation Committee’s recommendations for executive LTI awards consist of options and performance Shares. The Compensation Committee determined not to award any time vested restricted Shares to NEOs for 2007. Recommendations for option and performance Share awards were guided by:

Conscious intent to increase management’s and employees’ equity ownership of the Company.

19


Awards geared towards weighting incentives based on performance and to align interests of executives with those of Shareholders.

Consistent with the Company’s philosophy at the time the performance Shares were awarded that executives’ compensation be significantly performance based, in March 2007, the Compensation Committee awarded executives performance Shares which vest in March 2011. The amount of shares which vest at the end of the four year period is based on average operating ROE over the four year period (2007 through 2011). The minimum award that can vest is 50% of target amount and the maximum is 150% of target amount. The Compensation Committee also awarded executives non- qualified stock options in 2007 with an exercise price of $30, which was the fair market value of the Shares at the date of grant. At the time of this award, the Committee believed it to be consistent with Company’s philosophy of aligning its executives’ interests with those of its Shareholders.

The Compensation Committee determines the mix of compensation vehicles to provide to each of our executives, using their judgment and market practice, by assessing the nature of the executive’s role as it relates to its effect on stock price, its contribution to enhancing production levels and ability to impact the Company’s expenses. The Compensation Committee’s conclusion was based on the executives’ ability to significantly affect the share price and overall performance of the Company. In the future, the Compensation Committee may adjust the mix of compensation instruments, consistent with our philosophy, as may be appropriate to reach competitive levels of total compensation for executives, relative to the market, for their functional role, responsibility and experience levels. Specifically, the market for our executives consists of those companies that operate in the global financial guarantee industry. Generally, the Compensation Committee does not assess, or take into account, executives’ historical LTI awards in the granting of future LTI awards.

4. Executive Compensation Program Elements

The Company aims to reward performance based on the executive’s level of responsibility in the Company, achievement of performance goals, and relative contribution to Shareholder value by using two “fixed” elements (base salaries and benefits/perquisites) and two “variable” elements (annual cash bonuses and long-term incentives) in our executive compensation program. For our NEOs, we review competitor information disclosed in public filings and gathered via independent market surveys to benchmark our compensation levels with those companies we view as direct competitors. The Compensation Committee performs this review to understand better the trends in the use of compensation vehicles. Our competitor group used to date consists of the companies identified above under “Executive Compensation Program Review and Oversight”.

Fixed Elements

Base Salaries. Base salaries are established based on the responsibilities and functional role of an executive’s position as well as the experience level, skills and knowledge of the executive as is relevant to our Company. There is some consideration of the salary level relative to salary levels in the geographic location of the executive. Base salaries are intended to compensate executives for executing the basic responsibilities of their jobs. The salaries of the NEOs are reviewed on an annual basis, as well as at the time of promotion or changes in responsibilities. The Compensation Committee reviews the recommendations made by Mr. Giordano with respect to all senior executives other than himself, makes any desired adjustments, and presents the whole package to the Board for their ratification. The Compensation Committee also reviews the base salary of Mr. Giordano, in executive session, and makes a recommendation to the Board with respect to his salary. In this process, the NEOs do not have any input into the setting of their own base salary levels. Since base salaries are paid for executing the basic responsibilities of the job, salaries change infrequently and are adjusted when there has been a change to the salary level being paid for a particular job in the market or when the executive assumes a larger role. Base salaries form the basis for other compensation awards. Specifically, the target cash bonus is expressed as a percentage of salary and the total cash compensation, salary plus cash bonus, is the basis for the target percentage of LTI granted to the Company’s executives.

20


Perquisites and Benefits. Pursuant to our pay for performance philosophy, executives receive modest perquisites and supplemental benefits, most notably a non-qualified supplemental deferred compensation plan which allows executives subject to U.S. income tax to defer receipt of up to 50% of their base salary and 100% of their annual bonus with notional earnings credited based on the return on a series of mutual funds that are managed by our retirement plan vendor. This type of benefit is provided to executives by many of our competitors. We do not have any defined benefit plans for our NEOs. Health and welfare benefits are provided to all employees based on norms in the local markets in which we operate, and our executives’ health and welfare premiums are subsidized at the same percentage as all other employees. As provided in his employment agreement, which is further described under “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control—Paul S. Giordano Employment Agreement,” Mr. Giordano receives a housing allowance that will cease on July 1, 2008. In addition, in accordance with the Company’s policy for executives residing in Bermuda, Mr. LeBlanc receives a housing allowance and Mr. Rego receives a mortgage subsidy. In addition, Mr. LeBlanc receives an automobile allowance in the form of a lump sum payment, in accordance with the Company’s policy for executives based in Bermuda. See “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for a description of these perquisites.

Change in Control.Upon a change in control of the Company (which is defined to include among other events, the acquisition of 30% or more of the Company’s Shares, a merger, consolidation or similar transaction, a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, a liquidation or sale of the Company and a change in the majority of the Board), under the Company’s compensation and benefit plans and the executive’s employment agreement (where applicable) NEOs will receive certain termination payments and benefits. The purpose of these payments and benefits is to assure that key executives remain with the Company during a change in ownership and to provide financial assurances to such executives so they can continue to perform their responsibilities. See “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control” for a description of these payments.

Variable Elements

Annual Cash Bonuses. Annual cash bonuses to NEOs, which vary from year to year, are approved by the Compensation Committee. In addition, the Compensation Committee approves the size of the annual bonus pool for all employees, including NEOs. Executives have a target bonus percentage that varies based on the executive’s role, with no guarantee of a maximum or minimum payout, other than Mr. LeBlanc who had a guaranteed minimum payout for 2007 pursuant to the terms of his employment agreement. When determining actual cash bonus amounts, the Compensation Committee’s objectives are to reward attainment of (a) individual goals and (b) strategic, operational and financial goals of (i) the Company and (ii) the executive’s business unit. Executives’ cash bonuses are awarded on a discretionary basis, unless a newly hired executive receives a guaranteed minimum bonus, and are paid in cash within the first quarter of the following year. For 2007, our NEOs’ target bonus percentages of salary were as follows: Mr. Giordano, 200%, Mr. Shea 150%, Mr. Hubbard 150%, Mr. LeBlanc 150% and Mr. Rego 100%. As noted above, the primary business of the Company did not achieve its performance targets and as a result, Messrs. Giordano, Hubbard and Shea did not receive annual cash bonuses. Mr. LeBlanc, whose role extended beyond the primary business unit and whose role was critical to the Company’s business strategy in 2007 received an annual bonus, as did Mr. Rego, whose business unit far exceeded its business plan objectives for 2007.

To determine the 2007 cash bonus element of the variable compensation pool, the Compensation Committee reviewed performance measures, compared them to the business plan, made relevant comparisons to competitors and assessed the performance of management for the fiscal year. See “Executive Compensation Philosophy and Core Principles” above for a detailed discussion of these performance measures. The Compensation Committee may also

21


take into account market events and other economic trends in the global financial guarantee industry that may have any impact on the business results.

The Compensation Committee reviews the cash bonus recommendations made by Mr. Giordano for each NEO, other than himself, and subsequently approves or adjusts those recommendations. The Compensation Committee, in executive session, then recommends a cash bonus for Mr. Giordano and submits the entire program of compensation recommendations to the Board for ratification, or approval in the case of Mr. Giordano’s cash bonus.

Long-Term Incentives. To motivate sustained performance and the creation of long-term value for our Shareholders, as well as to provide retention mechanisms for our executives, both stock- based vehicles (restricted Shares, stock options, performance Shares) and non-equity incentives (long-term, cash-based awards) are used to reward senior executives. Executives are assigned a target LTI amount, expressed as a percentage of targeted total cash compensation, for their annual awards. For 2007, our NEOs’ target LTI percentages of targeted total cash compensation are as follows: Mr. Giordano, 200%; Mr. Shea, 150%; Mr. Hubbard, 150%; Mr. LeBlanc, 150%; and Mr. Rego, 75%. For our NEOs, other than himself, Mr. Giordano recommends an LTI award value, and appropriate long-term vehicles to deliver that value, for each executive. The Compensation Committee reviews Mr. Giordano’s recommendations and may adjust them. The Compensation Committee, in executive session, then develops an LTI award proposal for Mr. Giordano and recommends the entire program of LTI awards for the NEOs to the full Board for ratification, or approval in the case of recommendations with respect to Mr. Giordano. In determining the target amounts, the Committee reviews the executives’ total compensation and determines the relative value of the long-term incentive as it relates to cash bonuses. As a result (other than for Mr. Rego), a majority of the NEOs’ total compensation is a long-term award. At the time the 2007 targets were established the emphasis was on the growth of the Company, newly formed after the IPO and profitability to Shareholders.

Stock Options

When awarded, stock options granted as part of the annual LTI program are granted at the closing market price of the stock on the date of grant. To enhance the retention aspect associated with stock options, they will vest ratably over three years. The Compensation Committee uses a Black-Scholes model to determine the value of the stock options to be awarded. Stock options are exercisable for up to 10 years from the date of grant to allow executives to focus on the creation of long-term Shareholder value. In general, stock options are only awarded to senior executives who have the greatest ability to influence stock price appreciation, and then, only on a limited basis. In February 2007, the following NEOs received stock options: Messrs. Giordano, Hubbard, Shea, LeBlanc and Rego. As noted above, these options were granted at an exercise price of $30 (which was the fair market value on the date of grant) in order to align the executives and Shareholders’ interests. In December 2007, Mr. LeBlanc received an additional stock option grant in connection with his entering into an employment agreement with the Company. These options were granted at an exercise price of $4.50, which was the fair market value on the date of grant.

Restricted Shares

The value and vesting criteria of much of our executive restricted stock awards program is directly tied to the attainment of specified levels of Operating ROE. Any restricted Share award made to an executive as part of the annual program is expected to be granted in the first quarter of the year, immediately following approval by the Board. In 2007, the Compensation Committee granted restricted Share awards with performance conditions and did not grant any time vested restricted Shares. Mr. LeBlanc received an award of time vested restricted Shares in February 2008 in connection with the execution of his employment agreement. See “Mr. LeBlanc’s Employment Agreement” below.

22


Performance Shares

These equity grants are made to all NEOs and most middle to senior level managers, with the number of Shares granted to each executive determined by the Compensation Committee. The actual amount of performance Shares varies according to the role of the individual executive. For 2007, performance Shares comprised a significant portion of an eligible NEO’s total compensation.

Performance Shares vest on the fourth anniversary of their grant date provided that performance goals tied to the Company’s average Operating ROE over the four year measuring period are met. For the initial grant of performance Shares in March 2007, the Compensation Committee selected a measuring period of 2007-2010. Based on what the average Operating ROE is over the four year measuring period, executives will receive a payout of between 50% and 150% of their target performance Share grant. The Company feels it is likely that over the four year measuring period the Company will achieve the required average Operating ROE to entitle executives to a 100% payout of their performance Share grant. Vesting for performance Shares may accelerate upon the occurrence of certain events resulting in a change in control of the Company or the termination of the executive. In addition, the Compensation Committee does not intend to adjust the performance metrics other than for significant changes in accounting principles (e.g. FASB rules), rating agency capital requirements, a major merger/acquisition occurrence, or other specified events. In any event, the metrics may be adjusted downwards but in no case increased.

Retention Awards

In 2007, as a result of adverse market conditions, the Compensation Committee determined that our executives’ long term incentive awards no longer had any value and, as such, failed to provide appropriate long term incentives, consistent with our compensation goals. As a result, in order to retain the services of certain of its executives during 2008, which is expected to be a critical year for the Company, the Compensation Committee approved cash retention awards in late February 2008 for its NEOs other than Mr. Giordano and for other key executive officers. The Compensation Committee considered the executives’ base salary in determining an amount that would provide a meaningful retention award to each executive. Payment of these retention awards will be made on a quarterly basis and is generally contingent on the executives’ continued employment with the Company on each such quarterly payment date, except that a full quarterly award will still be payable if the executive is involuntarily terminated without cause prior to the quarterly payment date.

The following retention payments to NEOs were approved by the Compensation Committee:

Executive

2008 Annualized
Retention Payments

Retention
per Quarter

Giordano, Paul S.

$

0

Hubbard, Edward B.

$

375,000

$

93,750

Shea, David P.

$

385,000

$

96,250

Rego, Michael E.

$

275,000

$

68,750

LeBlanc, Claude

$

350,000

$

87,500

5. Mr. LeBlanc’s Employment Agreement

The Company entered into an employment agreement on January 1, 2008 with Mr. LeBlanc. Prior to that date, Mr. LeBlanc was employed by the Company in a senior executive position with the same title. As a result of Mr. LeBlanc’s contributions to the Company during his employment and the uncertainty in the market, the Board determined that LeBlanc’s continued employment with the Company was critical to its future success and that it was in the best interests of the Company to enter into an employment agreement.

To induce Mr. LeBlanc to assume significant new responsibilities in his position as Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy, the Company determined that it needed to

23


offer Mr. LeBlanc a market competitive compensation package. The Compensation Committee recommended and the Board approved, an employment agreement with the following terms.

The employment agreement provides for (i) a specified base salary (which is initially not less than $300,000) and is subject to annual review and may be increased by the Company’s Compensation Committee, (ii) a minimum annual bonus for 2007 of $700,000, payable in 2008; Mr. LeBlanc’s annual target bonus for 2008 shall be equal to 150% of his base salary, (iii) an additional long term incentive award, pursuant to the terms of SCA’s long term incentive plan, equal to 150% of base salary plus annual bonus, to be paid at the discretion of the Compensation Committee, (iv) a one-time only grant of 100,000 options to purchase Common Shares of SCA, (v) an additional one-time only grant of 50,000 Shares of restricted stock Shares, and (vi) the right to participate in such other employee or fringe benefit programs for senior executives as are in effect from time to time. The options to purchase 100,000 Shares of SCA were granted on December 20, 2007, at an exercise price of $4.50 per Share. These options vest in three equal installments at the rate of 33.33% per year, on each anniversary of the grant date. The restricted stock Shares will vest at a rate of not less than 25% per year, on the anniversary of the grant date, which was February 2008. The original term of employment is scheduled to expire on June 30, 2009 and will continue to be automatically extended for successive one year periods unless the Company or Mr. LeBlanc provides written notice that the term is not to be extended, as provided in the agreement. The Company’s obligations under Mr. LeBlanc’s employment agreement are guaranteed by SCA Holdings US Inc. and XLFA.

Other Employment Agreement Provisions

The employment agreement also provides for the payment to Mr. LeBlanc of a monthly housing allowance of $11,000 per month. Payment of such amount shall be discontinued immediately upon termination of Mr. LeBlanc’s employment with the Company unless such termination is as a result of death, disability or without cause, in which case payment of the housing allowance shall terminate within three (3) months following Mr. LeBlanc’s termination. In connection with any termination due to death, disability or without cause, Mr. LeBlanc or his beneficiaries, as applicable, shall receive reimbursement of all reasonable and documented moving expenses in an amount not to exceed US$50,000.

The employment agreement also provides for indemnification of Mr. LeBlanc by the Company in the event that his services result in his becoming liable for U.S. federal, state or local income taxes. The employment agreement further provides for indemnification of Mr. LeBlanc in the event that any payment, distribution or benefit provided to Mr. LeBlanc is subject to excise taxes under the golden parachute provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, if such payments to Mr. LeBlanc exceed certain levels.

Mr. LeBlanc also has agreed to certain confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation provisions during the term of his employment and for twelve months following termination of employment as well as to confidentiality and director and officer indemnification covenants; provided, however, that such term shall be shortened to six months if Mr. LeBlanc is terminated by SCA without cause or by Mr. LeBlanc with good reason within twenty four months following a Change in Control, if SCA pays him an additional six months base salary and one half of the average annual bonus payable to him in the three years preceding the year of his termination (or, if less, his period of employment).

See “Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control—Claude LeBlanc Employment Agreement” for a summary of the payments to Mr. LeBlanc upon termination of employment and change in control under his employment agreement.

6. Tax and Accounting Aspects of Executive Compensation

The Compensation Committee considered the tax and accounting aspects of the executives’ compensation when it designed the executives’ plans and programs. In general, amounts paid to our executives are deductible for Federal income tax purposes. However, the Company reserves the right to pay amounts that are not deductible in certain circumstances where it deems it to be in the best interests of the Company and its Shareholders.

24


COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the preceding Compensation Discussion and Analysis with Company management. Based upon this review and discussions with Company management, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis set forth above be included in this proxy statement and in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.

Compensation Committee
Bruce G. Hannon, Chairman
Robert M. Lichten
E. Grant Gibbons

25


SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table sets forth the compensation of our NEOs which includes our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and the next three most highly compensated executive officers of the Company (Messrs. Giordano, Shea, Hubbard, LeBlanc and Rego, respectively) for services paid for or rendered with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries in all capacities for the Company’s last fiscal year:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name and Principal Position

 

Year

 

Salary
($)

 

Bonus
($)

 

Stock
Awards
($)(1)(2)

 

Option
Awards
($)(1)(2)

 

Non-Equity
Incentive
Plan
Compensation
(3)

 

Change in
Pension Value
and
Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings($)

 

All Other
Compensation
(4)

 

Total
($)

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

2007

  

 

 

600,000

  

 

 

 

563,538

  

 

 

687,076

  

 

 

 

 

353,728

  

 

 

2,204,342

 

President and Chief

 

 

 

2006

  

 

 

570,833

  

 

 

1,560,000

  

 

 

735,352

  

 

 

1,118,579

  

 

 

806,250

  

 

 

 

 

374,753

  

 

 

5,165,767

 

Executive Officer of the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

2007

  

 

 

385,000

  

 

 

 

277,394

  

 

 

288,075

  

 

 

 

 

105,652

  

 

 

1,056,121

 

Executive Vice President

 

 

 

2006

  

 

 

367,917

  

 

 

820,000

  

 

 

214,642

  

 

 

189,665

  

 

 

899,261

  

 

 

 

 

672,543

  

 

 

3,164,028

 

and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

of the Company

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

2007

  

 

 

375,000

  

 

 

 

271,564

  

 

 

280,258

  

 

 

 

 

99,157

  

 

 

1,025,979

 

President and Chief

 

 

 

2006

  

 

 

354,583

  

 

 

700,000

  

 

 

180,234

  

 

 

208,283

  

 

 

1,044,465

  

 

 

 

 

672,556

  

 

 

3,160,121

 

Operating Officer of

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XL Capital Assurance Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

2007

  

 

 

300,000

  

 

 

700,000

  

 

 

84,084

  

 

 

87,949

  

 

 

 

 

223,192

  

 

 

1,395,223

 

Executive Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corporate Development

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and Strategy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Rego

 

 

 

2007

  

 

 

275,000

  

 

 

275,000

  

 

 

124,224

  

 

 

114,583

  

 

 

 

 

85,455

  

 

 

874,262

 

Executive Vice President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chief Operation Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


(1)

Amounts are calculated pursuant to SFAS No. 123R, “Share Based Payments.” See “Stock Based and Long-Term Compensation Plans” under Note 20 of the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 regarding assumptions underlying valuations of equity awards.

(2)

For Mr. Giordano this amount represents: (a) the amount expensed by the Company during 2007 for the Company restricted Shares or options, as applicable, that Mr. Giordano received as a result of the conversion of his historical XL Capital equity awards; and (b) the amount expensed by the Company during 2007 with respect to Mr. Giordano’s IPO Award. For all NEO’s other than Paul Giordano the amount expensed in 2007 represents restricted Shares and options that the NEO was granted in February and March 2007 and the NEO’s IPO award. For Paul Giordano the amount expensed represents restricted Shares and options that Mr. Giordano was granted in February and March 2007 and Mr. Giordano’s IPO award together with the amount of Shares that were converted from XL Capital equity to the Company’s equity on the IPO Closing Date. Also see Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year End table.

(3)

Please refer to the Company’s Proxy dated April 2, 2007 for prior disclosure on Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation.

(4)

Please refer to the Company’s Proxy dated April 2, 2007 for prior disclosure on NEO’s other than Mr. Giordano, Mr. LeBlanc and Mr. Rego. For Mr. Giordano the amounts include: (a) a housing allowance in the amount of $95,000, plus a tax gross up in respect of the allowance of $63,738 and (b) financial counseling services in the amount of $18,786. An additional perquisite that Mr. Giordano received pursuant to his employment agreement, but for which no amount is included in this table because no amount will be expensed by the Company unless a reimbursement actually occurs, is a Company reimbursement Mr. Giordano is entitled to receive under certain circumstances for any economic losses on the sale of his principal residence. For additional information with respect to the housing allowance and the potential Company reimbursement for any economic losses on the sale of Mr. Giordano’s principal residence, please see “Paul S. Giordano Employment Agreement” under “Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control.” For Mr. LeBlanc the amounts shown include (a) a housing allowance of

26


$132,000 as per the Company’s policy for executives residing in Bermuda, (b) contributions made by the Company to the Bermuda Pension Plan which is a broad based plan and would be viewed as a qualified plan under United States guidelines and (c) for Mr. LeBlanc, as part of the Company’s policy for executives residing in Bermuda, an automobile allowance of $36,192 to be used toward the purchase of a vehicle that would serve as transportation for five years. An additional perquisite that Mr. LeBlanc received pursuant to his employment agreement, but for which no amount is included in this table because the amount of taxes is not known at this time, is a Company reimbursement Mr. LeBlanc is entitled to receive for federal, state and local income taxes he is required to pay. For Mr. Rego the amounts shown include (a) contributions made by the Company to the Bermuda Pension Plan and (b) a mortgage subsidy of $15,455. For each NEO the amounts shown include Company contributions to the qualified and nonqualified retirement plans of the Company and, in the case of Mr. LeBlanc and Mr. Rego, Company contributions to the Bermuda pension fund which is a broad based plan covering all employees. The following table shows specific information with respect to all other compensation amounts paid in 2007.

Other Annual Compensation from Summary Compensation Table

Name

Year

Company
Contributions to
Nonqualified
Retirement
Plan ($)

Company
Contributions to
Qualified
Retirement
Plan ($)

Other Cash
Compensation($)

Paul S. Giordano

2007

155,975

20,229

177,524

David P. Shea

2007

79,160

26,492

Edward B. Hubbard

2007

76,631

15,926

Claude LeBlanc

2007

55,000

168,192

Michael Rego

2007

70,000

15,455

27


GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS TABLE

The following table complements the Summary Compensation Table disclosure by providing information concerning each grant of an award made to the NEOs in the last completed fiscal year under any plan:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Grant
Date

 

Estimated Future Payouts
Under Non-Equity
Incentive Plan Awards

 

Estimated Future Payouts Under
Equity Incentive Plan Awards(1)

 

All Other
Stock
Awards:
Number of
Shares of
Stock or
Units(#)

 

All Other
Option
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Under-
lying
Options
(#)(2)

 

Exercise
or Base
Price of
Option
Awards
($/Sh)

 

Grant Date
Fair Value
of Stock and
Option
Awards
($)(3)

 

Thresh-
old($)
75%

 

Target
($)100%

 

Maxi-
mum($)
150%

 

Thresh-
old(#)
50%

 

Target
(#)100%

 

Maxi-
mum(#)
150%

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

2/26/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

122,500

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

3,675,000

 

 

 

 

 

3/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

38,210

  

 

 

76,419

  

 

 

114,629

  

 

 

76,419

  

 

 

 

 

2,274,994

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

2/26/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

34,569

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

1,037,070

 

 

 

 

 

3/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

17,418

  

 

 

34,836

  

 

 

52,254

  

 

 

34,836

  

 

 

 

 

1,037,068

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

2/26/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

33,631

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

1,008,930

 

 

 

 

 

3/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

16,946

  

 

 

33,891

  

 

 

50,837

  

 

 

33,891

  

 

 

 

 

1,008,935

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

1/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

4,492

  

 

 

 

 

17,474

 

 

 

 

 

2/26/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

8,500

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

255,000

 

 

 

 

3/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

2,939

  

 

 

5,878

  

 

 

8,817

  

 

 

5,878

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

174,988

 

 

 

 

 

12/19/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

100,000

  

 

 

4.50

  

 

 

450,000

 

Michael Rego

 

 

 

2/26/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

13,750

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

412,500

 

 

 

 

 

3/1/2007

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

6,928

  

 

 

13,856

  

 

 

20,784

  

 

 

13,856

  

 

 

 

 

412,493

 


(1)

All NEO’s were granted an amount of performance Shares that vest in full on March 1, 2011. The amount of the Shares to vest at that time will depend on the Company’s performance based on a performance metric established by the Compensation Committee which will be based on the average ROE over fiscal years 2007 through 2010.

(2)

All option awards vest and become exercisable in three equal installments, beginning on the first anniversary date of the grant and continuing on each of the following two anniversaries of the date of the grant.

(3)

See “Stock Based Compensation Plans” under Note 20 of the consolidated financial statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007 regarding assumptions underlying valuations of equity awards.

Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table and Grant of Plan-Based Awards Table

The Company has entered into employment agreements with the following NEOs: Paul S. Giordano (Chief Executive Officer), Claude L. LeBlanc (Executive Vice President, Corporate Development & Strategy), David P. Shea (Chief Financial Officer) and Edward B. Hubbard (President and Chief Operating Officer, XLCA).

Each employment agreement provides for (i) a specified base salary, which is subject to annual review and may be increased by the Compensation Committee, (ii) an annual bonus pursuant to the Company’s incentive compensation plan as determined by the Compensation Committee with an annual target bonus equal to the levels set forth in “Compensation Discussion and Analysis,” (iii) reimbursement for or payment of certain travel and other expenses and (iv) the right to participate in such other employee or fringe benefit programs for senior executives as are in effect from time to time. The original term of each executive’s employment expires on August 4, 2009, except for Mr. LeBlanc whose employment agreement expires on June 30, 2009, and will continue to be automatically extended for successive one year periods unless the Company or the executive provides written notice that the term is not to be extended at least three months prior to the then scheduled expiration date. Each executive has agreed to certain confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation provisions. Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement also provides for the payment to Mr. Giordano of a monthly housing allowance through July 1, 2008.

The Company granted several plan-based awards during 2007. On February 26, 2007, the Company granted options to its NEOs with an exercise price of $30, which was the fair market

28


value on the date of grant. These options vest one third each year on the anniversary of the grant date. On March 1, 2007, the Company granted performance shares to its NEOs at a fair market value per Share of $29.61. These Shares vest on March 1, 2011. The amount which vests depends on the achievement of certain performance targets. See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Executive Compensation Program Elements” for a detailed discussion of the performance targets.

Base salaries form the basis for other compensation awards. Specifically, the target cash bonus is expressed as a percentage of salary and the total cash compensation, salary plus cash bonus, is the basis for the target percentage of LTI granted to the Company’s executives.

OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT FISCAL YEAR-END

The following table shows information concerning unexercised options, stock that has not vested, and equity investment plan awards for the NEOs outstanding as of December 31, 2007.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Option Awards

 

Stock Awards

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options(#)
Exercisable

 

Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Options(#)
Unexer-
cisable(2)

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Securities
Underlying
Unexercised
Unearned
Options(#)

 

Option
Exercise
Price($)

 

Option
Expiration
Date

 

Number of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested
(#)(3)(4) (5)

 

Market
Value of
Shares or
Units of
Stock That
Have Not
Vested
($)(6)

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Number of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That Have
Not Vested
(#)

 

Equity
Incentive
Plan
Awards:
Market or
Payout
Value of
Unearned
Shares,
Units or
Other
Rights
That Have
Not Vested
($)

Paul S. Giordano (1)

 

 

 

34,929

  

 

 

34,930

  

 

 

  

 

 

20.50

  

 

 

3/9/2011

  

 

 

141,175

  

 

 

549,171

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20,499

  

 

 

40,997

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/8/2012

  

 

 

76,419

  

 

 

297,270

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

21,645

  

 

 

64,936

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/7/2013

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

21,394

  

 

 

64,184

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/5/2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

36,112

  

 

 

108,337

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/4/2015

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40,834

  

 

 

81,666

  

 

 

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

2/26/2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

11,523

  

 

 

23,046

  

 

 

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

2/26/2017

  

 

 

12,195

  

 

 

47,439

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

34,836

  

 

 

135,512

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

11,211

  

 

 

22,420

  

 

 

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

2/26/2017

  

 

 

12,195

  

 

 

47,439

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

33,891

  

 

 

131,836

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

2,834

  

 

 

5,666

  

 

 

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

2/26/2017

  

 

 

4,492

  

 

 

17,474

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

100,000

  

 

 

  

 

 

4.50

  

 

 

9/1/2017

  

 

 

8,566

  

 

 

33,322

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

Michael Rego

 

 

 

4,584

  

 

 

9,166

  

 

 

  

 

 

30.00

  

 

 

2/26/2017

  

 

 

7,561

  

 

 

29,412

  

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

13,856

  

 

 

53,900

  

 

 

  

 

 

 


(1)

To align Mr. Giordano’s interests with the results of the Company and its Shareholders, Mr. Giordano’s historical XL Capital equity awards, solely those awards that remained as unvested restricted Shares and unexercised options, were surrendered and cancelled by XL Capital, and Mr. Giordano received options to purchase Shares, restricted Shares and a cash-based long-term incentive award from SCA (the “Exchange”).

(2)

Each option award acquired by Mr. Giordano pursuant to the Exchange has the term set forth in the table and has the following vesting provisions: options with an expiration date of 2011 vest in 2 equal annual installments (at a rate of 50% per year), options with an expiration date of 2012 vest in 3 equal annual installments (at a rate of 33% per year), and options with an expiration date of 2013 or greater vest in 4 equal annual installments (at a rate of 25% per year), each from the date of grant. All NEO’s options with an expiration date of 2017 vest in 3 equal annual installments (at a rate of 33% per year). Vesting dates for each option award can therefore be calculated accordingly.

(3)

In connection with the IPO, the NEOs received IPO Awards in the form of restricted Shares, which will vest on the fifth anniversary of the date of grant (August 4, 2011) with the following acceleration features: (a) one-third of the restricted Shares will vest on the third anniversary of the date of grant if the consolidated Operating ROE of the Company for the immediately preceding calendar year equals or exceeds 10%, (b) one-third of the restricted Shares will vest on the fourth anniversary of the date of grant if the consolidated Operating ROE of the Company for the immediately preceding calendar year equals or exceeds 10%, and (c) all IPO

29


Awards will vest upon a change in control or the termination of the service of the employee due to his or her death, disability or retirement.

(4)

In connection with the Exchange, Mr. Giordano received 110,184 restricted Shares. Each restricted Share grant has the following vesting provisions: 4,692 restricted Shares vest 100% on December 4, 2008, and the remainder of the restricted Shares obtained in connection with the Exchange vest in 4 equal installments (at a rate of 25% per year) from the date of grant. In addition, Mr. Giordano received an IPO Award in the form of 58,537 restricted Shares with the vesting terms described in footnote (3). Vesting dates for each restricted Share award can therefore be calculated accordingly.

(5)

For all NEO’s preference shares granted in the form of restricted Shares will vest in full on March 1, 2011.

(6)

The closing price of the Shares on December 31, 2007, the last business day of the Company’s fiscal year, was $3.89.

OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED IN 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Option Awards(1)

 

Stock Awards(2)

 

Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Exercise
(#)

 

Value
Realized on
Exercise
($)

 

Number of
Shares
Acquired on
Vesting
(#)

 

Value
Realized on
Vesting
($)

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

 

27,546

  

 

 

622,815

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 

Michael Rego

 

 

 

  

 

 

  

 


(1)

There were no options exercised in 2007.

(2)

There were no Shares vested for the named executives except for Mr. Giordano. Mr. Giordano had restricted Shares that vested on August 2, 2007. The value of the Shares upon vesting is equal to the number of Shares vested times the closing Share price on the date of vesting of $22.61.

30


PENSION BENEFITS

There are no amounts to be reported in the Pension Benefits table. Accordingly, this table has been omitted from this proxy statement pursuant to Instruction 5 to Item 402(a)(3) of Regulation S-K.

NON-QUALIFIED DEFERRED COMPENSATION

The following table sets forth information with respect to each defined contribution or other plan that provides for deferral of compensation on a basis that is not tax-qualified for the NEOs during the last fiscal year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name

 

Executive
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year ($)

 

Registrant
Contributions
in Last Fiscal
Year ($)(1)(2)

 

Aggregate
Earnings
in Last Fiscal
Year ($)(3)

 

Aggregate
Withdrawals/
Distribution ($)

 

Aggregate
Balance at Last
Fiscal Year End
($)

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

98,000

  

 

 

155,975

  

 

 

(1,056

)

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

429,103

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

102,552

  

 

 

79,161

  

 

 

(5,222

)

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

1,528,039

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

43,281

  

 

 

76,632

  

 

 

(1,420

)

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

609,677

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

Michael Rego

 

 

 

 

 

 

  


(1)

See footnote 4 to the Summary Compensation Table regarding the extent to which the amounts appearing in this column are reported in that table.

(2)

Other than with respect to Mr. Giordano, the majority of the amounts appearing in this column represent deferred cash awards which were granted in March 2006. These deferred cash awards vest in 4 equal annual installments (at 25% per year) from the date of grant (March 2006) and have no performance factor. The amounts appearing in this column represent Company contributions to the Deferred Compensation Program (as defined below). (See Other Annual Compensation from Summary Compensation Table for more detail with respect to the amounts in this column.)

(3)

No amounts appearing in this column are reflected in the Summary Compensation Table, as no investments have preferential performance or interest rates applicable to them.

Compensation plans are based on Company prescribed contribution rates that are established for all participating employees. Aggregate earnings are based on the performance of the underlying mutual funds chosen by the executive from a prescribed list of choices sponsored by the Company through a third-party vendor. No preferential performance or interest rates are accorded any of the investments that executives have in the SCA Holdings US Inc. Deferred Compensation Program (the “Deferred Compensation Program”) therefore no earnings on these plans are reported in the Summary Compensation Table.

Participants are allowed to defer both salary and bonus into the Deferred Compensation Program, up to the limits established by the Internal Revenue Service. All participants in the Deferred Compensation Program are required to have on file with the Company a payout election form indicating the terms chosen by the participant for payout at the time of termination or retirement. No executive is allowed to take a loan from the Company or against their outstanding plan balance and any other distribution that does not adhere to the executive’s payout election form must first be approved by the Compensation Committee. No NEOs have taken any withdrawals from their outstanding plan balances in 2007.

POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UPON TERMINATION OR CHANGE IN CONTROL

The table below and the discussion that follows describes the potential payments and benefits under the Company’s compensation and benefit plans payable to each named executive officer upon death or disability, change in control, including the acquisition of 30% or more of the Company’s Shares, a merger, consolidation or similar transaction, a sale of substantially all of the assets of the Company, a liquidation or sale of the Company or a change in a majority of the Board members (a “Change in Control”) or other termination events. The estimated amount of compensation payable to each named executive in each situation listed below assumes that the termination and/or Change

31


in Control occurred on December 31, 2007 and that the Company’s Shares were valued at $3.89, the closing price of the Company’s Shares as of such date. The actual amount of any payment or benefit can only be determined as of the date of termination and/or Change in Control and may vary from the estimated amounts listed below. Descriptions of the circumstances that would trigger payments or benefits to our named executive officers, how such payments or benefits are determined under the circumstances, material conditions and obligations applicable to the receipt of payments or benefits and other material factors regarding such agreements and plans, as well as other material assumptions made in calculating the estimated compensation, follow the table below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash
Payment

 

Stock
Options

 

Restricted
Shares

 

LTIP

 

Total

Paul S. Giordano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death/Disability

 

 

$

 

1,080,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

846,441

(1)

 

 

 

$

 

716,667

(2)

 

 

 

$

 

2,643,108

 

Without Cause (prior to Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

2,400,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

716,667

  

 

$

 

3,116,667

 

Without Cause (following Change in Control; for Good Reason or in connection with Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

4,800,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

846,441

  

 

$

 

1,075,000

  

 

$

 

6,721,441

 

With Cause or other Voluntary Termination

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

 

Edward B. Hubbard

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death/Disability

 

 

$

 

537,500

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

179,275

  

 

$

 

928,413

  

 

$

 

1,645,188

 

Without Cause (prior to Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

1,312,500

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

928,413

  

 

$

 

2,240,913

 

Without Cause (following Change in Control; for Good Reason or in connection with Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

2,250,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

179,275

  

 

$

 

1,392,620

  

 

$

 

3,821,895

 

With Cause or other Voluntary Termination

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

 

David P. Shea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death/Disability

 

 

$

 

552,500

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

182,951

  

 

$

 

799,343

  

 

$

 

1,534,794

 

Without Cause (prior to Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

1,347,500

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

799,343

  

 

$

 

2,146,843

 

Without Cause (following Change of Control; for Good Reason or in connection with Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

2,310,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

182,951

  

 

$

 

1,199,015

  

 

$

 

3,691,966

 

With Cause or other Voluntary Termination

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

 

Claude LeBlanc

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death/Disability

 

 

$

 

625,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

50,796

  

 

$

 

677,966

  

 

$

 

1,543,893

 

Without Cause (prior to Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

1,050,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

677,966

  

 

$

 

1,727,966

 

Acceleration of vesting upon Change in Control

 

 

$

 

1,950,000

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

50,796

  

 

$

 

1,016,950

  

 

$

 

3,207,877

 

With Cause or other Voluntary Termination

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

 

Michael Rego

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Death/Disability

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

83,312

  

 

$

 

537,623

  

 

$

 

620,935

 

Without Cause (prior to Change in Control)

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

537,623

  

 

$

 

537,623

 

Acceleration of vesting upon Change in Control

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

83,312

  

 

$

 

806,435

  

 

$

 

889,747

 

With Cause or other Voluntary Termination

 

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

  

 

$

 

0

 


(1)

Based on the closing price of the Shares on December 31, 2007

(2)

Vesting at a target amount percentage of 125% based on the performance of the Company as of December 31, 2007

32


Paul S. Giordano Employment Agreement

The Company has entered into an employment agreement with one of its named executive officers, Paul S. Giordano, to serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement provides for (i) a specified base salary of not less than $600,000, which is subject to annual review and may be increased by the Compensation Committee, (ii) an annual bonus pursuant to the Company’s incentive compensation plan as determined by the Compensation Committee with an annual target bonus equal to 200% of his base salary, (iii) reimbursement for or payment of certain travel and other expenses, and (iv) the right to participate in such other employee or fringe benefit programs for senior executives as are in effect from time to time. The original term of employment is scheduled to expire on August 4, 2009 and will continue to be automatically extended for successive one year periods unless the Company or Mr. Giordano provides written notice that the term is not to be extended at least three months prior to the then scheduled expiration date. It is also the intention of the parties that Mr. Giordano will serve on our Board. Mr. Giordano has agreed to certain confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation provisions. The Company’s obligations under Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement are guaranteed by SCA Holdings US Inc. and XLFA.

A more detailed narrative of certain key provisions of Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement and the potential payments upon termination or Change in Control of the Company pursuant to Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement outlined in the table above are as follows:

Termination Due to Death or Disability

Mr. Giordano’s employment agreement provides that, in the event of the termination of his employment prior to the expiration date of the employment agreement (after giving effect to any extensions thereof) by reason of death or disability:

(i)

Mr. Giordano (or in the case of death, his spouse or estate) shall be entitled to receive his then current base salary through the end of the six month period after the month in which his employment is terminated;

(ii)

Mr. Giordano (or his estate) shall be entitled to any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid and a pro rata bonus for the year of termination in an amount determined by the Compensation Committee (but not less than a pro rata portion of his average annual bonus for the immediately preceding three years);

(iii)

Mr. Giordano (or his estate) shall also be entitled to his vested accrued benefits under any employment benefit programs, continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or other rights were issued;

(iv)

Mr. Giordano shall be entitled to continued medical benefit plan coverage for his dependents (and himself, in the event of disability) for a period of six months.

Under the terms of the agreements pursuant to which the options and restricted Shares were issued, they immediately vest upon the occurrence of Mr. Giordano’s death or disability. Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s LTIP, upon Mr. Giordano’s death or disability, termination without cause (as discussed below) or a Change in Control his awards under the LTIP will vest at a percentage based on the performance of the Company versus the relevant performance metric at the time of termination, but not less than the target amount.

Termination Without Cause

In the event of termination of Mr. Giordano’s employment by the Company without Cause (as defined in the employment agreement) or by Mr. Giordano if he is assigned duties materially inconsistent with his position, Mr. Giordano shall be entitled to his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

(i)

a cash lump sum equal to two times his then current base salary;

33


(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to one times the higher of the targeted annual bonus for the year of such termination or the average of his annual bonus for the three years immediately preceding the year of termination provided he executes a release of claims against the Company;

(iii)

any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid;

(iv)

his vested accrued benefits under any employment benefit programs, continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or other rights were issued; and

(v)

continued medical benefit coverage for him and his dependents for a period of 24 months.

Termination Without Cause Following a Change in Control; For Good Reason; or In Connection with a Change in Control

In the event of termination of Mr. Giordano’s employment (a) by the Company without Cause within the 24-month period following a Change in Control (as defined in his employment agreement (the “Giordano Post-Change Period”)), (b) by Mr. Giordano for Good Reason (as defined in the employment agreement) during the Giordano Post-Change Period or (c) by the Company within one year prior to a Change in Control and it is reasonably demonstrated that such termination was either at the request of a third party who had taken steps reasonably calculated or intended to effect a Change in Control or otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of the Change in Control, then Mr. Giordano shall be entitled to his then current salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

(i)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times his then current base salary;

(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times the higher of (1) the average of his annual bonus for the three years immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurs and (2) his target annual bonus for the year of termination;

(iii)

an amount equal to the higher of (1) his annual bonus actually awarded in the year immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurs or (2) the targeted annual bonus that would have been awarded to him for the year of such termination, pro rated by a fraction based on the number of months or fraction thereof in which Mr. Giordano was employed by the Company in the year of termination;

(iv)

accelerated vesting of his rights under any retirement plans and with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him; and

(v)

Mr. Giordano shall also be entitled to continue the medical benefit plan coverage for himself and his dependents for a period of 24 months.

Mr. Giordano will also be entitled to continue to exercise stock options for three years after termination of employment. In addition, Mr. Giordano will be entitled to gross-up payments in event excise taxes on his payments or other benefits are imposed under Section 280G of the Code.

Termination With Cause or Other Voluntary Termination

If Mr. Giordano is terminated by the Company with Cause or if Mr. Giordano voluntarily terminates his employment, he shall be entitled to:

(i)

his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs;

(ii)

continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by Mr. Giordano in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or equity securities were issued; and

(iii)

his vested accrued benefits under any employee benefit programs in the case of voluntary termination and, if such programs expressly provide for such benefits, in the case of termination by the Company with Cause.

34


Housing Allowance

The employment agreement also provides for the payment to Mr. Giordano of a monthly housing allowance in an amount equal to $5,000 per month through July 1, 2008. If Mr. Giordano’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause, due to his disability, by him for Good Reason during the Giordano Post-Change Period or by Mr. Giordano following the assignment to him of duties that are materially inconsistent with his position, he will receive a lump sum payment equal to the amount of any remaining housing allowance payments scheduled to be paid for the twenty-four months following such termination of employment. If Mr. Giordano had been terminated for any of these reasons on December 31, 2007, the last day of the Company’s fiscal year, Mr. Giordano would have been entitled to a lump sum payment of $120,000. In the event Mr. Giordano’s employment terminates due to his death, his spouse or estate will continue to receive monthly housing allowance payments through the remainder of the housing payment period or until his principal residence is sold, whichever is earlier.

Other Employment Agreement Provisions

The employment agreement also provides that the Company will reimburse Mr. Giordano, on an after-tax basis, for any loss incurred by him on a sale of his principal residence in Connecticut which occurs prior to June 30, 2010 and prior to his termination of employment. For this purpose, any loss will be measured by the excess of the purchase price paid by him for the principal residence over the higher of the sale price received by him or the average of two independent appraisals of the fair market value of the principal residence as of the date of execution of the applicable purchase and sale agreement. In the event Mr. Giordano’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause, due to his disability, by him for Good Reason during the Giordano Post-Change Period or by Mr. Giordano following the assignment to him of duties that are materially inconsistent with his position, the period during which he will be protected against loss will not end until the earlier of twenty-four months following such termination of employment or June 30, 2010. In the event Mr. Giordano’s employment terminates due to his death, the period of loss protection will continue through June 30, 2010, and any reimbursement for loss will be paid to his spouse or estate. The cost of any appraisals required will be paid by the Company.

The employment agreement also provides for indemnification of Mr. Giordano by the Company to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and our charter documents and requires that the Company maintain directors’ and officers’ liability coverage in an amount equal to at least $25,000,000 for him.

Claude LeBlanc Employment Agreement

See “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Mr. LeBlanc’s Employment Agreement” for a discussion of the principal terms of his agreement, other than the termination and change in control provisions.

Termination Due to Death or Disability

Mr. LeBlanc’s employment agreement provides that, in the event of the termination of his employment prior to the expiration date of the employment agreement (after giving effect to any extensions thereof) by reason of death or disability:

(i)

Mr. LeBlanc (or in the case of death, his spouse or estate) shall be entitled to receive his then current base salary through the end of the six month period after the month in which his employment is terminated;

(ii)

Mr. LeBlanc (or his estate) shall be entitled to any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid and a pro rata bonus for the year of termination in an amount determined by the Compensation Committee (but not less than a pro rata portion of his average annual bonus for the immediately preceding three years or the period of Mr. LeBlanc’s employment with the Company, if less) and reimbursement of all business expenses incurred prior to such termination;

35


(iii)

Mr. LeBlanc (or his estate) shall also be entitled to his vested accrued benefits under any employment benefit programs, continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or other rights were issued;

(iv)

Mr. LeBlanc (and his dependents) shall be entitled to continued medical benefit plan coverage for his dependents for a period of six months.

Termination With Cause or Other Voluntary Termination

If Mr. LeBlanc is terminated by the Company with Cause or if Mr. LeBlanc voluntarily terminates his employment, he shall be entitled to:

(i)

his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs;

(ii)

continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by Mr. LeBlanc in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or equity securities were issued; and

(iii)

his vested accrued benefits under any employee benefit programs in the case of voluntary termination and, if such programs expressly provide for such benefits, in the case of termination by the Company with Cause.

Termination Without Cause

In the event of termination of Mr. LeBlanc’s employment by the Company without Cause (as defined in Mr. LeBlanc’s employment agreement) or by Mr. LeBlanc’s if he is assigned duties materially inconsistent with his position or non-renewal of his employment agreement by SCA, Mr. LeBlanc’s shall be entitled to his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

(i)

a cash lump sum equal to two times his then current base salary;

(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to one times the higher of the targeted annual bonus for the year of such termination or the average of his annual bonus for the three years immediately preceding the year of termination (or such shorter period as may be applicable) provided he executes a release of claims against the Company;

(iii)

any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid and reimbursement of business expenses incurred prior to termination of employment;

(iv)

continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by Mr. LeBlanc in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or equity securities were issued;

(v)

his vested accrued benefits under any employee benefit programs determined in accordance with the terms of such programs; and

(vi)

continued medical benefit coverage for a period of 24 months.

Termination Without Cause Following a Change in Control; For Good Reason or In Connection with a Change in Control

In the event of termination of Mr. LeBlanc’s employment (a) by the Company without Cause within the 24-month period following a Change in Control (as defined in his employment agreement (the “LeBlanc Post-Change Period”)), (b) by Mr. LeBlanc for Good Reason (as defined in his employment agreement) during the LeBlanc Post-Change Period, or (c) by the Company within one year prior to a Change in Control and it is reasonably demonstrated that such termination was either at the request of a third party who had taken steps reasonably calculated or intended to effect a Change in Control or otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of the Change in Control, then Mr. LeBlanc shall be entitled to his then current salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

36


(i)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times his then current base salary;

(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times the higher of (1) the average of his annual bonus for the three years (or, if less, his period of employment) immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurs and (2) his target annual bonus for the year of termination;

(iii)

an amount equal to (i) the higher of (1) the bonus actually awarded to Mr. LeBlanc by the Company for the year immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control Occurs or (2) the targeted amount of bonus that would have been awarded to Mr. LeBlanc in respect of the year in which the termination of employment occurs, multiplied by (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months or fraction thereof in which Mr. LeBlanc was employed by the Company in the year of termination of employment, and the denominator of which is 12;

(iv)

accelerated vesting of his rights under any retirement plans and with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him (which shall remain exercisable for a period of three years following termination); and

(v)

continued medical benefit plan coverage for a period of 24 months.

Employment Agreements of Edward B. Hubbard and David P. Shea

The Company has also entered into employment agreements with the following NEOs: Edward B. Hubbard to serve as the President and Chief Operating Officer of XLCA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and David P. Shea to serve as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

Each employment agreement provides for (i) a specified base salary (which is initially not less than $375,000 in the case of Mr. Hubbard and $385,000 in the case of Mr. Shea) and is subject to annual review and may be increased by the Company’s Compensation Committee, (ii) an annual bonus pursuant to our incentive compensation plan as determined by the Compensation Committee with an annual target bonus equal to 150% of the executive’s base salary, (iii) reimbursement for or payment of certain travel expenses, and (iv) the right to participate in such other employee or fringe benefit programs for senior executives as are in effect from time to time. The original term of each employment agreement is scheduled to expire on August 4, 2009 and will continue to be automatically extended for successive one year periods unless the Company or the executive provides written notice that the term is not to be extended, as provided in each agreement. Each executive has agreed to certain confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation provisions. The Company’s obligations under each employment agreement are guaranteed by SCA Holdings US Inc. and XLFA.

The potential payments upon termination or change in control of the Company pursuant to each employment agreement are as follows:

Termination Due to Death or Disability

Each employment agreement provides that, in the event of the termination of the executive’s employment prior to the expiration date of the employment agreement (after giving effect to any extensions thereof) by reason of death or disability:

(i)

the executive (or in the case of death, his spouse or estate) shall be entitled to receive his then current base salary through the end of the six month period after the month in which his employment is terminated;

(ii)

the executive (or his estate) shall be entitled to any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid and a pro rata bonus for the year of termination in an amount determined by the Compensation Committee (but not less than a pro rata portion of his average annual bonus for the immediately preceding three years);

(iii)

the executive (or his estate) shall also be entitled to his vested accrued benefits under any employment benefit programs, continued rights with regard to any stock options or other

37


rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or other rights were issued; and

(iv)

the executive shall be entitled to continued medical benefit plan coverage for the executive and his immediate family for a period of six months.

In the event the employment of either Messrs. Hubbard or Shea was terminated on December 31, 2007, the last business day of the Company’s fiscal year, by reason of death or disability, the value of the estimated potential payments that Messrs. Hubbard or Shea would be entitled to receive are described in the table above. Under the terms of the agreement pursuant to which the restricted Shares were issued, they immediately vest upon the occurrence of the death or disability of either Messrs. Hubbard or Shea. Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s LTIP, upon the death or disability of either Messrs. Hubbard or Shea their respective awards under the LTIP will vest at a percentage based on the performance of the Company versus the relevant performance metric at the time of termination.

Termination Without Cause

In the event of termination of the executive’s employment by the Company without Cause (as defined in each employment agreement), including termination of employment following the Company’s issuance of a notice of nonrenewal of the employment agreement, or by the executive if he is assigned duties materially inconsistent with his position (but such assignment does not constitute “Good Reason”, as defined in each employment agreement), the executive shall be entitled to his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

(i)

a cash lump sum equal to two times his then current base salary;

(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to one times the higher of the targeted annual bonus for the year of such termination or the average of his annual bonus for the three years immediately preceding the year of termination;

(iii)

any annual bonus awarded but not yet paid;

(iv)

the executive shall also be entitled to his vested accrued benefits under any employment benefit programs, continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or other rights were issued; and

(v)

the executive shall be entitled to continued medical benefit plan coverage for the executive and his immediate family members for a period of 24 months.

Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s LTIP, if of either of Messrs. Hubbard or Shea were terminated without Cause their respective awards under the LTIP will vest at a percentage based on the performance of the Company versus the relevant performance metric at the time of termination.

Termination Without Cause Following a Change in Control; For Good Reason; or In Connection with a Change in Control

In the event of termination of the executive’s employment (a) by the Company without Cause within the 24-month period following a Change in Control (as defined in his employment agreement (the “Senior Executive Post-Change Period”)), (b) by the executive for Good Reason (as defined in the employment agreement) during the Senior Executive Post-Change Period or (c) by the Company (other than for Cause) within one year prior to a Change in Control and it is reasonably demonstrated that such termination arose in connection with a Change in Control, then the executive shall be entitled to his then current salary through the date on which termination occurs and:

(i)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times his then current base salary;

38


(ii)

a cash lump sum payment equal to two times the higher of (1) the average of his annual bonus for the three years immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurs and (2) his target annual bonus for the year of termination;

(iii)

an amount equal to the higher of (1) his annual bonus actually awarded in the year immediately preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurs or (2) the targeted annual bonus that would have been awarded to him for the year of such termination, pro rated by a fraction based on the number of months or fraction thereof in which the executive was employed by the Company in the year of termination;

(iv)

accelerated vesting of his rights under any retirement plans and with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by him; and

(v)

the executive shall also be entitled to continue the medical benefit plan coverage for himself and his immediate family for a period of 24 months (which ceases if the executive becomes eligible to receive medical benefits from another employer).

The executive will also be entitled to continue to exercise stock options for three years after termination of employment. In addition, the executive will be entitled to gross-up payments in event excise taxes on his payments or other benefits are imposed under Section 4999 of the Code. Additionally, pursuant to the terms of the Company’s LTIP, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control each of Messrs. Hubbard’s and Shea’s awards under the LTIP will vest at a percentage based on the performance of the Company versus the relevant performance metric at the time of termination.

Termination With Cause or Other Voluntary Termination

If the executive is terminated by the Company with Cause or if the executive voluntarily terminates his employment, he shall be entitled to:

(i)

his then current base salary through the date on which termination occurs;

(ii)

continued rights with regard to any stock options or other rights with respect to equity securities of the Company held by the executive in accordance with the terms of the plans under which such options or equity securities were issued; and

(iii)

his vested accrued benefits under any employee benefit programs in the case of voluntary termination and, if such programs expressly provide for such benefits, in the case of termination by the Company with Cause.

Other Employment Agreement Provisions

Each employment agreement also provides for indemnification of the executive by the Company to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law and the Company’s charter documents and requires the Company to maintain directors’ and officers’ liability coverage in an amount equal to at least $30,000,000.

Mr. Rego

Mr. Rego does not have an employment agreement with the Company, however there are provisions in certain of the Company’s compensation plans that would result in potential payments upon termination or change in control to Mr. Rego. Those provisions are summarized below.

(a)

IPO Awards—Pursuant to the provisions of the 2006 Long Term Incentive and Share Award Plan (the “Plan”) and the related Restricted Share Agreements that the Company entered into with each employee that received an IPO Award, the IPO Awards vest immediately upon the occurrence of a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan), or upon the death, disability or Retirement of Mr. Rego. For these purposes, “Retirement” means the termination of employment by Mr. Rego after the sum of his age and full years of continuous service with the Company exceeds 65.

39


(b)

LTIP Awards—Pursuant to the Company’s LTIP, upon the occurrence of (1) a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan), (2) the death or disability of Mr. Rego or (3) the termination of Mr. Rego without Cause (as defined in the relevant LTIP agreement), LTIP awards will immediately vest and the relevant cash payment will be payable. For LTIP awards with performance metrics applicable to them, the relevant award will vest at a percentage based on the performance of the Company versus the relevant performance metric at the time of termination.

Termination Due to Death or Disability

In the event the employment of Mr. Rego was terminated on December 31, 2007, the last business day of the Company’s fiscal year, by reason of death or disability, the value of the estimated potential payments Mr. Rego would be entitled to receive in connection with the plans referred to in (a) and (b) above are detailed in the table above.

Termination Without Cause

In the event of termination of Mr. Rego’s employment by the Company without Cause (as defined in the relevant LTIP agreement) the value of the estimated potential payments Mr. Rego would be entitled to receive in connection with the plans referred to in (a) and (b) above are detailed in the table above.

Acceleration of Vesting Upon a Change in Control

In the event of a Change in Control (as defined in the Plan) the value of the estimated potential payments to be received by Mr. Rego in connection with the plans referred to in (a) and (b) above are detailed in the table above.

40


AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

Based on the Audit Committee’s review of the audited financial statements, its discussions with management regarding the audited financial statements, its receipt of written disclosures and the letter from the Independent Auditor required by Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1, its discussions with the Independent Auditor regarding such auditor’s independence, the matters required to be discussed by the statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 and other matters the Audit Committee deemed relevant and appropriate, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board that the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for such fiscal year for filing with the SEC.

Audit Committee

Coleman D. Ross (Chairman)

E. Grant Gibbons

Mary R. Hennessy

41


INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM FEES

The Company’s fees for services performed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm during the fiscal years 2006 and 2007 were as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

(dollars in thousands)

 

2007

 

2006

Audit Fees(1)

 

 

$

 

2,378,750

  

 

$

 

2,422,000

 

Audit-related fees(2)

 

 

 

16,000

  

 

 

178,475

 

Tax Fees(3)

 

 

 

41,751

  

 

 

25,000

 

All other fees(4)

 

 

 

1,626

  

 

 

1,500

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

$

 

2,438,127

  

 

$

 

2,626,975

 


(1)

Audit fees were for professional services rendered primarily in connection with the audit and quarterly review of the consolidated financial statements and other attestation services that comprised the audits for insurance statutory and regulatory purposes in various jurisdictions in which the Company operates and the provision of certain opinions relating to the Company’s filings with the SEC. Also includes fees related to comfort letters and fees for non-recurring services related to filings in connection with the Company’s secondary offering, offering of Series A preference shares and initial public offering.

(2)

Audit-related fees were primarily related to consents and comfort letters issued in connection with insurance transactions.

(3)

Tax fees were for professional services rendered for tax assistance and counsel in connection with a tax accounting election.

(4)

All other fees related to products and services primarily related to access to on-line accounting and research resources.

The Audit Committee has adopted procedures for pre-approving all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by the Independent Auditor. The Audit Committee will annually review and pre-approve the audit, review, attestation and permitted non-audit services to be provided during the next audit cycle by the Independent Auditor. To the extent practicable, the Audit Committee or the Chairman of the Audit Committee will also review and approve a budget for such services. Services proposed to be provided by the Independent Auditor that have not been pre-approved during the annual review and the fees for such proposed services must be pre-approved by the Audit Committee or the Chairman of the Audit Committee. All requests or applications for the Independent Auditor to provide services to the Company shall be submitted to the Audit Committee or the Chairman of the Audit Committee. All fees for audit-related, tax and other services were pre-approved by the Audit Committee in 2007.

The Audit Committee considered whether the provision of non-audit services performed by the Independent Auditor is compatible with maintaining the Independent Auditor’s independence during 2007. The Audit Committee concluded in 2007 that the provision of these services was compatible with the maintenance of Independent Auditor’s independence in the performance of its auditing functions during 2007.

42


MATTERS SCHEDULED TO BE VOTED ON AT THE
ANNUALSPECIAL GENERAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON MAY 20, 2008:FEBRUARY 9, 2009

I. ELECTION OF DIRECTORSPROPOSALS TO APPROVE CHANGES TO THE COMPANY’S BYE-LAWS

At the Annual General Meeting, three Class II Directors are to be elected to hold office until the 2011 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. The three nominees are currently serving as Directors and were appointed or elected in accordance with the Company’s Bye-Laws. Unless authority is withheld by the Shareholders, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed proxy to vote for the nominees listed below. All of the nominees have consented to serve if elected, but if any becomes unavailable to serve, the persons named as proxies may exercise their discretion to vote for a substitute nominee. The name, age, principal occupation and other information concerning each Director are set forth below.

Nominees

Nominees for Class II Directors for terms to expire in 2011

Mary R. Hennessy, age 55, has been a Director of the Company since August 2006. Ms. Hennessy is an independent consultant in the insurance industry. From 2004 to 2007 she has been a member of the Board, the Audit Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee of Bristol West Holdings, Inc. From 2000 to 2002 she was Chief Executive Officer and the President, as well as a member of the board of directors of Overseas Partners, Ltd. Prior to that time she held various positions at TIG Holdings (including President and Chief Operating Officer) as well as at American Re Corporation and its subsidiaries. She is also a former director of Annuity and Life Re (Holdings), LTD, an insurer based in Bermuda.

Coleman D. Ross, age 65, has been a Director of the Company since August 2006. Mr. Ross is a certified public accountant and also has served on the boards of directors of Pan-American Life Insurance Company and NCCI Holdings, Inc. (National Council on Compensation Insurance) since July 2006 and May 2004, respectively. He was Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of The Phoenix Companies, Inc. (life insurance and asset management) from April 2002 through December 2003 and Trenwick Group Ltd. (property-casualty reinsurance) from June 2000 through March 2002. Prior to his retirement from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in 1999, Mr. Ross was an audit engagement partner for insurance, banking, and other financial services clients and had been Chairman and Managing Partner of Price Waterhouse’s insurance practice.

Fred Corrado, age 67, was appointed by the Board on April 9, 2008 as a Class II Director to fill the vacancy created by the resignation, without conflict, of Brian M. O’Hara from the Board on November 26, 2007. Mr. Corrado has over forty years experience in finance, general management and corporate governance. Mr. Corrado currently serves as Director and Audit Committee Chair of Novell, Inc. (since November 2002). He is a member of the Approval Corporation Advisory Board of Directors (since 2005), a Director of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (since 1999) and is a Business Strategy, Acquisitions and Integration Consultant (since 2002). From 1987 to 2002 Mr. Corrado worked for Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co., Inc. (most recently as Vice Chairman Board of Directors and CFO from 1992 to 2002). From 1973 to 1987 Mr. Corrado worked for Nabisco Brands. He held the title of President, COO of Nabisco Brands Limited from 1984 to 1986, and was a Member of its board of directors from 1984 to 1986. From 1998 to 2006 he served as Director, Member Executive Committee and Chair Finance Committee of Covenant House. Mr. Corrado is a CPA NY State, a Member of AICPA and NYSSCPA, a Member of FEI and former Chairman of their CFO Financial Advisory Council.

Your Board of Directors recommends that Shareholders
vote FOR all of the Class II nominees.

43


Continuing Directors

Class I Directors whose terms expire in 2010

Paul S. Giordano, age 45, has been a Director of the Company since its formation and Chairman and Chief Executive of XLCA since March 2005 and March 2006, respectively. Mr. Giordano previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Executive of Financial Products and Services Operations of XL Capital. Mr. Giordano previously served as General Counsel of XL Capital from January 1997 to November 2004. Mr. Giordano has also been a director of Primus Guaranty Ltd. since May 2005. Mr. Giordano was in private law practice at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton and Clifford Chance in New York and London prior to joining XL Capital.

Robert M. Lichten, age 67, has been a Director of the Company since August 2006. Mr. Lichten has been a Director of XLCA since 2000. Mr. Lichten has been Co-Chairman of Inter-Atlantic Group since 1994 and is a member of the firm’s investment committee. Mr. Lichten is a director of Inter-Atlantic Financial, Inc. Mr. Lichten has been a Director of SeaPass Solutions Inc. since 2006. Mr. Lichten is a Director of Governance Metrics International, a corporate governance rating agency. Mr. Lichten also served as Co-Chairman of Guggenheim Securities LLC, formerly Inter-Atlantic Securities Corp., LLC, the former NASD broker-dealer operation of Inter-Atlantic Group, until 2003. Previously, Mr. Lichten was Managing Director at both Salomon Smith Barney Inc. and Lehman Brothers Inc., where he concentrated on capital raising and providing merger and acquisition advisory services to financial institutions. Mr. Lichten was also formerly Executive Vice President of The Chase Manhattan Bank. During his 22 years at Chase he was a senior corporate banker and was in charge of worldwide capital planning. Mr. Lichten also served as Chief of Staff of the Asset- Liability Management Committee and President of The Chase Investment Bank. Mr. Lichten is a former trustee of Manhattan College, a former Director of Annuity & Life Re (Holdings), LTD, and a former Director and President of the Puerto Rico USA Foundation, a cooperative effort between the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and numerous multi-national corporations.

Paul E. Hellmers, age 51, was appointed by the Board on April 9, 2008 as a Class I Director to fill the vacancy created by the resignation, without conflict, of Alan Z. Senter from the Board on December 27, 2007. Mr. Hellmers has over 25 years of diverse investment banking, real estate, insurance and general management experience. Since 2004 Mr. Hellmers has served as the Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors and Executive Director of Phoenix Four, Inc. From 1998 to 2002 Mr. Hellmers served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Centre Solutions (Bermuda) Ltd. From 1995 to 1998 he served as Managing Director and co-founder of Zurich Structured Finance. From 1990 to 1995 Mr. Hellmers served as a principal for Morgan Stanley & Co., Inc. in the Fixed Income Division; Structured Finance and Real Estate Debt Capital Markets group and from 1980 to 1989 in the Investment Banking Division, Capital Markets Group where he was a founding member of the interest rate and currency swap group.

Class III Directors whose terms expire in 2009

Michael P. Esposito, Jr., age 68, has been a Director of the Company since its formation and the Chairman of the Company’s Board since March 2006. Mr. Esposito served as Chairman of the Board of XL Capital from 1995 to 2007 and a Director of XL Capital from 1986 to 2007. Mr. Esposito has served as Chairman and a director of Primus Guaranty Ltd since March 2002. He has also served as a director of Annuity and Life Re (Holdings), LTD. since 1997 and a director of Forest City Enterprises since 1995. Mr. Esposito was Co-Chairman of Inter-Atlantic Capital Partners, Inc. from April 1995 to December 2000. Mr. Esposito served as Chief Corporate Compliance, Control and Administrative Officer of the Chase Manhattan Corporation from 1991 to 1995, having previously served as that company’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer from 1987 to 1991.

Dr. the Hon. E. Grant Gibbons, age 55, has been a Director of the Company since August 2006. Dr. Gibbons has been a member of the Bermuda parliament since 1994. From 1995 to 1998, Dr. Gibbons served as the Bermuda Minister of Finance and, beginning in 1999, has served as the opposition shadow Minister of Finance. Dr. Gibbons has been the leader of the opposition United

44


Bermuda Party from 2001 until January 2006. Dr. Gibbons currently serves as a director of Gibbons Management Services Limited, an internal services division of a diversified, privately-held business, as a director of Arlington Tanker Ltd., an international seaborne transporter of crude oil and petroleum products, as Deputy Chairman, Colonial Insurance Co., Ltd., an insurance company operating in Bermuda and throughout the Caribbean, and as a director of several other private companies. Dr. Gibbons is a citizen and resident of Bermuda.

Bruce G. Hannon, age 61, has been a Director of the Company since August 2006. Mr. Hannon served as a Managing Director and Vice Chairman of JPMorgan Chase Bank from 1992 until his retirement in December 2000, and as a Vice President from 1977 to 1988. Also, Mr. Hannon served as a Managing Director of Chemical Bank from 1988 to 1991.

II. APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITOR

The Audit Committee of the Board is required by law and applicable NYSE rules to be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of the work of the Company’s Independent Auditor. The Audit Committee has appointed, subject to Shareholder approval, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Independent Auditor for the year ending December 31, 2008. In accordance with the Bermuda Companies Act 1981, the Board is submitting the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP to the Shareholders for approval.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the proposal to appoint PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s Independent Auditor to audit the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ending December 31, 2008. The persons designated as proxies will vote FOR the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the Company’s Independent Auditor, unless otherwise directed. Representatives of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP are expected to be present at the Annual General Meeting, with the opportunity to make a statement should they choose to do so and are expected to be available to respond to questions, as appropriate.

Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR the proposal to appoint
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York, New York.

III.

PROPOSAL TO APPROVE THE CHANGE OF THE COMPANY’S NAME FROM SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTD TO SYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD

In October 2007, the Company called a special general meeting of holders of our Shares to approve the change of the Company’s name from Security Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd. Due to market disruptions, the meeting was adjourned prior to any vote of the Shareholders.

The Board has unanimously approved and hereby submits for Shareholder approval the change of the Company’s name to Syncora Holdings Ltd. In connection with the IPO, XL Capital licensed the XL name to SCA and its subsidiaries until the second anniversary of the IPO. The Board has determined that it is in the best interest of the Company and its Shareholders to re-brand the business of the Company under the name “Syncora Holdings Ltd.”

Shareholders will not be required to submit their stock certificates for exchange as a result of this proposed name change. Following the effective date of the amendment changing the Company’s name, all new stock certificates issued by the Company will be overprinted with the Company’s new name.

If Shareholders approve the proposal at the Annual General Meeting, the Company will implement the name change as soon as reasonably practicable as determined by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer by making the required filing with the Bermuda Registrar of Companies.

The Board recommends a vote FOR the proposal to change the Company’s name from Security Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd. The persons designated as proxies will vote FOR the approval of the name change, unless otherwise directed.

Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval
of the change of the Company’s name.

45


IV.

PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO THE COMPANY’S MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT CERTAIN AMENDMENTS TO THE BERMUDA COMPANIES ACT 1981

At the Company’s AnnualSpecial General Meeting, Shareholders are being asked to approve several amendments to the Company’s MemorandumBye-Laws. Certain of Association. This proposalthe amendments included in the proposals were adopted and approved by the Board on October 21, 2008 and will be implemented subject to approval of the Shareholders and the remaining amendments included in the proposals will be brought before the Board prior to the AnnualSpecial General Meeting and, if the Board has adopted and approved these amendments, theyby the Board, will be implemented subject to Shareholders approval.

Amendments

Following changes toapproval of the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 in 2006:Shareholders.

A company is no longer required to set out in its Memorandum of Association its objects and powers, and can simply adopt unrestricted objects and the capacity and powers of a natural person, which provides greater flexibility. It is proposed that Clause 6 of the Company’s Memorandum of Association be amended to provide the Company with unrestricted objects and the capacity and powers of a natural person, in place of those specific objects currently listed in Clause 6;

A company can now own treasury shares (issued shares that have been acquired by the company itself and have not been cancelled but have been held by the company since they were acquired). It is therefore proposed that Clause 7 of the Company’s Memorandum of Association be amended to provide for treasury shares; and

The requirement for the Company to have a US$12,000 minimum authorized and issued share capital is no longer applicable. It is therefore proposed that Clause 5 of the Company’s Memorandum of Association be amended by deleting the second sentence under Clause 5, which currently states that the Company’s minimum subscribed share capital is US$12,000.

The text of the proposed amendments to the Company’s Memorandum of AssociationBye-Laws is included in Annex A to this proxy statement, and we have shown the changes with deletions indicated by bracketsa strike-through and additions indicated by boldface type.a double underline.

I. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO BYE-LAW 3

Bye-law 3 is being amended so that the Chief Executive Officer of the Company no longer has to serve as a Director. The purpose of this change is to incorporate the provisions of the Bermuda Companies Amendment Act 2006 (the “2006 Act”), which eliminated the requirement that a company appoint certain officers to its board of directors, allowing more flexibility as to which officers, if any, serve as directors.

II. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO BYE-LAW 19

Bye-law 19 is being amended so that the remuneration and benefits of Directors of the Company will be determined by the Nominating & Governance Committee rather than the Compensation Committee. The purpose of this change is for the compensation of directors to be determined by the Nominating & Governance Committee so that all matters relating to directors are overseen by the same committee, while the Compensation Committee retains oversight with respect to matters relating to executive and employee compensation.

III. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BYE-LAWS 1, 18, 27, 38, 44, 45 AND 81

Bye-laws 1, 18, 27, 38, 44, 45 and 81 are being amended to reflect that XL Capital Ltd is no longer a Shareholder of the Company by deleting the defined term “XL Group” and all references thereto. XL Capital Ltd ceased to be a Shareholder of the Company following the transfer of Shares held by XL Capital Ltd to the SCA Shareholder Entity pursuant to the terms of the Master Commutation Release and Restructuring Agreement, dated July 28, 2008, as amended (the “Master Transaction Agreement”), by and among the Company, several of its wholly-owned subsidiaries and affiliates, including Syncora Guarantee Inc. (“Syncora Guarantee”), XL Capital Ltd. and certain of its affiliates and certain financial institutions that are counterparties to credit default swap and financial guarantee contracts with Syncora Guarantee and that may, from time to time, be parties to the Master Transaction Agreement.

IV. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BYE-LAWS 38, 44, 45 AND 60

Bye-laws 38, 44, 45 and 60 are being amended to provide certain of the original rights granted to the XL Group under the Bye-Laws to the SCA Shareholder Entity to reflect the equity ownership position of the SCA Shareholder Entity in the Company in connection with the Master Transaction Agreement and the Deed of Trust, dated as of November 18, 2008, by Syncora Private Trust Company Limited. In particular, (i) the proposed amendment to bye-law 38 provides that the voting percentage for certain items, such as the alienation of substantially all the assets of the Company, will require a 66 2/3% majority while the SCA Shareholder Entity holds more than 35% of the Company, (ii) the proposed amendment to bye-law 44 provides an exception to the 9.5% limit to Shareholder aggregate voting power, so that this threshold does not apply to the SCA

6


Shareholder Entity; (iii) the proposed amendment to bye-law 45 provides that the power granted to the Board to adjust voting rights, so as to avoid adverse tax, legal or other consequences to the Company, will not apply to the SCA Shareholder Entity and (iv) the proposed amendment to bye-law 60 allows the Board to restrict the transfer of Shares in circumstances where such a transfer would result in material adverse tax, legal or other consequences, including where following such a transfer any person, except the SCA Shareholder Entity, would hold more than 9.5% of value or voting rights of the Company.

V. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO BYE-LAW 36

Bye-law 36 is being amended to prohibit Shareholders from adopting any resolution by written consent. The purpose of this change is to prohibit Shareholders from adopting resolutions by written consent with only a majority of the votes, as currently provided for in the 2006 Act. Prior to the 2006 Act, shareholder resolutions by written consent were required to be unanimous. Given that the SCA Shareholder Entity holds 46% of the Company, the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders that any action taken by Shareholders be effected at a duly called meeting to ensure shareholder participation. This may make it procedurally more difficult for Shareholders to take action.

VI. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO BYE-LAW 50

Bye-law 50 is being amended to allow the Company to hold its own shares,i.e., treasury shares. This change incorporates the provisions of the 2006 Act, which introduced the concept of “treasury shares” under Bermuda Law. In order to hold treasury shares, the Bye-Laws must explicitly permit the Company to acquire and hold shares as treasury shares. The purpose of this change is to provide the Company with the option of holding treasury shares, thereby increasing the Company’s flexibility in managing its outstanding securities.

VII. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BYE-LAWS 3, 53 AND 78

Bye-laws 3, 53 and 78 are being amended to eliminate the requirement that certain deeds and other instruments be executed under the company seal in order to conform with modern practice. Historically, a company was required by statute to affix its seal to various instruments or documents, most commonly, deeds. The use of the company seal for executing such documents has become an anachronistic practice in modern day commerce. The purpose of this change is to incorporate the provisions of the 2006 Act, which allows companies to execute deeds and other instruments (such as share certificates or debentures), which previously were required to be executed under the company seal, by the signature of an authorized person.

VIII. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BYE-LAWS 75 AND 77

Bye-laws 75 and 77 are being amended to provide clarification on how notices may be sent, including to Shareholders, Directors and resident representatives, and to provide for more expedient methods of notice and delivery. The proposed amendment to bye-law 75 specifies certain documents to which the notice provisions apply, including share certificates and any instrument of proxy, and records how notices and other documents are to be posted, couriered, emailed or sent by facsimile or published on a website with notification of such publication being made. The proposed amendment to bye- law 77 specifies the time periods by which a notice or other document is deemed to have been served or delivered to Shareholders and how the Company shall prove that the notice or other document was properly sent and/or published. In addition, each Shareholder is deemed to have agreed that any notice or other document may be provided by the Company by publication on a website, rather than being provided by any other means. This change incorporates the provisions of the 2006 Act, which now makes it possible for a company to deliver documents via electronic transmission (including email and website postings).

7


IX. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AN AMENDMENT TO BYE-LAW 60

Bye-law 60 is being amended to create a mandatory restriction on share transfers in order to prevent non-de minimis adverse tax, regulatory, or legal consequences to the Company, its subsidiaries, its direct or indirect shareholders or its affiliates. Bye-law 60 currently grants the Board the discretionary right to refuse approval or registration of any transfer of shares where it appears that such transfer would result in a non-de minimis adverse tax, regulatory, or legal consequences to the Company, its subsidiaries, its direct or indirect shareholders or its affiliates. In particular, the Board can under bye-law 60 consider the non-de minimis adverse consequence that arises as a result of a relevant shareholder then owning more than 9.5% of the value, or voting shares, of the Company.

In contrast, the restriction on share transfer contained in the proposed bye-law 60(2) is mandatory. It provides that any attempted transfer of common or preference shares (or warrants, rights, options or interests that are similar to options) whether by agreement or otherwise, before, in the Board’s discretion, either the 15th anniversary of the date of bye-law 60(2) being promulgated or the repeal of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended the (“Code”), is prohibited and voidab initio to the extent that (a) such transfer results in a person or group becoming a “Five-Percent Shareholder” as defined by Treasury Regulation Section 1.382 -2T(g)(l), or (b) the stock ownership of any person or persons who are already “Five-Percent Shareholders” is increased and provided that this restriction does not affect open market transfers on any applicable stock exchange or OTC market which might otherwise be prohibited by this bye-law.

The restriction in the proposed bye-law 60(2) can be overcome if either the transferor or transferee obtains the approval of the Board when the transfer is being contemplated. The Board is entitled, as a condition of granting its approval, to obtain counsel’s opinion that the proposed transfer will not attract the application of the limitations on the use of tax benefits set forth in Section 382 of the Code. The purpose of this amendment is to restrict transfers of shares to avoid an “ownership change” under Section 382 of the Code, which could have the effect of severely limiting the Company’s ability to utilize certain net operating losses and other tax attributes in the post-ownership change period. The implementation of this amendment may hinder the ability of certain shareholders to transfer their shares.

X. PROPOSAL TO APPROVE AMENDMENTS TO BYE-LAWS 31 AND 60

Bye-laws 31 and 60 are being amended to remove references to the Company having to meet the requirements of the New York Stock Exchange in connection with the delisting of the Company by the New York Stock Exchange. The basis for delisting was non-compliance with two of the New York Stock Exchange’s continued listing standards: (i) the Company’s average global market capitalization over a consecutive 30 trading-day period was less than $75 million and, at the same time, total stockholders’ equity was less than $75 million, and (ii) the average closing price of the Company’s common stock was less than $1.00 over a consecutive 30 trading-day period. For additional information, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Overview of Our Business—Recent Regulatory Developments” in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2008 filed on November 17, 2008. In addition, in December 2008 the New York Stock Exchange notified the Company of its decision to suspend trading and delist the Company, as announced in a press release issued by the Company on December 12, 2008. The proposed amendment provides that the Company is subject to any applicable requirements of any applicable stock exchange or quoted on any applicable over-the-counter market.

Your Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR approval of
each of the proposed amendments of the Company’s Memorandum of Association.Bye-Laws.

468


OTHER MATTERS

While management knows of no other matters to be brought before the AnnualSpecial General Meeting, if any other matters properly come before the meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the accompanying proxy form to vote the proxy in accordance with their judgment on such matters. If any matter not proper for action at the meeting should be presented, the persons named in the proxy card will vote against consideration of the matter or the proposed action.

SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2009 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Shareholder proposals intended for inclusion in the proxy statement for the 2009 Annual General Meeting should be submitted in accordance with the procedures prescribed by Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act and sent to the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidSyncora Holdings Ltd., Canon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda. Such proposals must behave been received by December 1, 2008.

In addition, a Shareholder may present a proposal at the 2009 Annual General Meeting other than pursuant to Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Any such proposal will not be included in the proxy statement for the 2009 Annual General Meeting and must be received by the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidSyncora Holdings Ltd., Canon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda by January 20, 2009. If any such proposal is not so received, such proposal will be deemed untimely and, therefore, the persons appointed by the Board as its proxies will have the right to exercise discretionary voting authority with respect to such proposal.

Pursuant to the Company’s Bye-Laws, any Shareholder entitled to attend and vote at any Annual General Meeting may nominate persons for election as Directors if written notice of such Shareholder’s intent to nominate such persons is received by the Company’s Secretary at Security Capital Assurance Ltd, A.S. Cooper Building, 26 ReidSyncora Holdings Ltd., Canon’s Court, 22 Victoria Street, Hamilton, HM 11,12, Bermuda not later than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the immediately preceding Annual General Meeting. Such notice must include the following information about the proposed nominee: (a) name and address of such person to be nominated, (b) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the Shareholder and each nominee and any person or persons (naming such person or persons) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by such Shareholder, (c) such other information regarding such nominee proposed by such Shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, and (d) the consent of each nominee to serve as a Director of the Company, if elected. Such notice must also include information on the Shareholder making the nomination, including such Shareholder’s name and address as it appears on the Company’s books, a representation that such Shareholder is a holder of record of Shares of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to present such nomination and the class and number of Shares of the Company beneficially owned by such Shareholder. The nomination of any person not made in compliance with the foregoing procedures shall be disregarded.

47


ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2007

The Company’s annual report to Shareholders for the year 2007, which includes the Company’s 2007 Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2007, is being furnished concurrently with this proxy statement to the persons who were Shareholders of record as of March 25, 2008, the record date for the Annual General Meeting. These materials do not form part of the material for the solicitation of proxies.

 

 

 

 

 

As ordered,

 

 

/s/ Susan Comparato  

 

 

Paul S. GiordanoSusan Comparato

 

 

President andActing Chief Executive Officer and President

489


Annex A

Set forth below are Clauses 5, 6Bye-Laws 3, 18, 19, 26, 27, 31, 36, 38, 44, 45, 46, 50, 53, 60, 75, 77, 78, and 780 of the Company’s Memorandum of AssociationBye-Laws marked to show the changes proposed. Deleted text is shown in [brackets]by astrike-through and inserted text is shown in boldfacetype.by a double underline.

5.

The authorized share capital of the Company is US$12,000 divided into shares of US$0.01 each. [The minimum subscribed share capital of the Company is US$12,000.00.]

6.

The objects for which the Company if formed and incorporates are–unrestricted.

3. Powers of the Board

(1) In exercising such power and authority, the Board may exercise all such powers of the Company as are not, by statute or by these Bye-laws, required to be exercised by the Company in a general meeting subject, nevertheless, to these Bye-laws and the provisions of any statute.

(2) No regulation or alteration to these Bye-laws made by the Company in a general meeting shall invalidate any prior act of the Board that would have been valid if such regulation or alteration had not been made.

(3) The Board may procure that the Company pays all expenses incurred in promoting and incorporating the Company.

(4) The Board may from time to time appoint one or moreDirectors to the office of Chief Executive Officer of the Company.Officers of the Company, who may or may not be a Director.

(5) The Board may from time to time and at any time by power of attorney appoint any company, firm, person or body of persons, whether nominated directly or indirectly by the Board, to be an attorney of the Company for such purposes and with such powers, authorities and discretions (not exceeding those vested in or exercisable by the Board) and for such period and subject to such conditions as it may think fit and any such power of attorney may contain such provisions for the protection and convenience of persons dealing with any such attorney as the Board may think fit and may also authorize any such attorney to sub-delegate all or any of the powers, authorities and discretions so vested in the attorney.Such attorney may, if so authorized under the seal of the Company, execute any deed or instrument under such attorney’s personal seal with the same effect as the affixation of the seal of the Company.

18. Corporate Opportunities and Conflicts of Interest

(1) In recognition and anticipation (i) that the Company will not be a wholly-owned subsidiary of XL Capital Ltd and that the XL Group will be a significant Shareholder of the Company, (ii) that directors, officers and/or employees of the XL Group may serve as Directors, Officers and/or employees of the Company, (iii) that the XL Group and the Company may engage in the same, similar or related lines of business as those in which the other, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that may overlap with or compete with those in which the other, directly or indirectly, may engage, (iv) that the XL Group may have an interest in the same areas of corporate opportunity as the Company and/or its subsidiaries and (v) that, as a consequence of the foregoing, it is in the best interests of the Company that the respective rights and duties of the Company and of the XL Group, and the duties of any Directors, Officers or employees of the Company who are also directors, officers or employees of the XL Groups and VICE VERSA, be determined and delineated in respect of any transactions between, or opportunities that may be suitable for both, the Company and its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the XL Group, on the other hand, the provisions of this BYE-LAW 18 shall to the fullest extent permitted by law regulate and define the conduct of certain of the business and affairs of the Company in relation to the XL Group and the conduct of certain affairs of the Company as they may involve the XL Group and its officers, directors and employees, and the power, rights, duties and liabilities of the Company and its Officers, Directors, employees and Shareholders in connection therewith. Any person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any shares of capital stock of the Company, or any interest therein, shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of thisBye-law 18.

(2) The Company may from time to time enter into and perform, and cause or permit any of its subsidiaries to enter into and perform, one or more agreements (or modifications or supplements to pre-existing agreements) with the XL Group pursuant to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries, on the one hand, and the XL Group, on the other hand, agree to engage in transactions

1.

[to act and to perform all the functions of a holding company in all its branches and to coordinate the policy and administration of (i) and entity or entities wherever incorporated, established or carrying on business which are in any manner directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the Company or by the same entity in any manner directly or indirectly owning or controlling the Company or (ii) any group of which the Company or any such entity owned or controlled by, or under common ownership or control with, the Company is a member;

2.

to acquire by purchase or otherwise, buy own, hold, create, market, design, assemble, manufacture, repair, lease, hire, let, sell, dispose of (with or without consideration or benefit), maintain, improve, develop, manage, invent, build, construct, operate, package and otherwise trade, invest or deal in an with products, financial instruments, goods, and real and personal property of all kinds whatsoever and wheresoever situated, and enter into arrangements for or with respect to any of the foregoing;

3.

to perform, provide, procure, market and deal in services and undertakings of all kinds;

4.

to advise and act as consultants and managers of all kinds and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to provide investment and financial advice, consultation and management services;

5.

to research, create, develop, invent, improve, discover, design, collate and draft original works, software, inventions, designs, concepts, formulas, processes, strategies, methodologies and the like, and acquire, build, own, hold, sell, lease, license, dispose of (with or without consideration or benefit), market, franchise, and otherwise exploit and deal in or with all intellectual and intangible property rights pertaining thereto whether registered or not, including but not limited to trade and service marks, trade names, copyrights, computer software, inventions, designs, patents, provisional patents, utility models, trade secrets, confidential information, know how, get-up and any other rights and privileges vesting in or attaching thereto;

6.

to explore for, drill for, mine for, quarry for, move, transport, and refine metals, minerals, fossil fuel, petroleum, hydrocarbon products including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, oil and oil products, and precious stones of all kinds and to prepare the same for sale or use;

7.

to enter into any guarantee, contract of indemnity or suretyship and to assure, support or secure with or without consideration or benefit the performance of any obligations of any person or persons and to guarantee the fidelity of individuals filling or about to fill situations of trust or confidence;

8.

to own, manage, operate, act as agents with respect to, build, repair, acquire, own, sell, charter, or deal in ships and aircraft;

9.

to lend to or deposit with any person funds, property or assets and to provide collateral or credit enhancement for loans, leasing or other forms of financing, with or without consideration or benefit;

10.

to create, enter into, undertake, procure, arrange for, acquire by purchase or otherwise, buy, own, hold, sell or otherwise dispose of (with or without consideration or benefit), trade, invest and or otherwise deal in, whether on a speculative basis or otherwise, all and or any kind of (including without limitation all and or any combinations of and all and or any rights or interests under) instrument, agreement, contract, covenant and undertaking, including without

A-1


limiting the generality of the foregoing, derivative instrument, agreement or contract, option, swap option contract, bond, warrant, debenture, equity, forward exchange contract, forward rate contract, future, hedge, security, note, certificate of deposit, unit, guarantee and or financial instrument; and

11.

to carry on any trade or business which can, in the opinion of the board of directors, be advantageously carried on by the Company.]


of any kind or nature with each other and/or agree to compete, or to refrain from competing or to limit or restrict their competition, with each other, including to allocate and to cause their respective directors, officers and employees (including any who are directors, officers or employees of both the XL Group and the Company or any of its subsidiaries) to allocate opportunities between or to refer opportunities to each other. Subject to paragraph (4) of thisBye-law 18, no such agreement, or the performance thereof by the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or the XL Group, shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be considered contrary to (i) any fiduciary duty that the XL Group may owe to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to any Shareholder or other owner of an equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries by reason of the XL Group being a controlling or significant Shareholder of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or participating in the control of the Company or of any of its subsidiaries or (ii) any fiduciary duty of any Director, Officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries who is also a director, officer or employee of the XL Group to the Company or such subsidiary, or to any Shareholder thereof or other owner of an equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries. Subject to paragraph (4) of thisBye-law 18, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the XL Group, as a Shareholder of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or as a participant in control of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, shall not have or be under any fiduciary duty to refrain from entering into any agreement or participating in any transaction referred to above and no Director, Officer or employee of the Company who is also a director, officer or employee of the XL Group shall have or be under any fiduciary duty to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to any Shareholder thereof or other owner of an equity interest in the Company or any of its subsidiaries, to refrain from acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or of the XL Group in respect of any such agreement or transaction or performing any such agreement in accordance with its terms.

(3) Except as otherwise agreed in writing between the Company and the XL Group, neither the Company nor the XL Group shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from (i) engaging in the same or similar activities or lines of business as the Company or the XL Group, as the case may be, or (ii) doing business with any client, customer or vendor of the Company or the XL Group, as the case may be, and (except as provided in paragraph (4) of thisBye-law 18) neither the XL Group nor any officer, director182or employee thereof shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be deemed to have breached its fiduciary duties, if any, to the Company solely by reason of the XL Group’s engaging in any such activity.

7.

Powers of the Company

1.

(4) (a) In the event that a Director, Officer or employee of the Company who is also a director, officer or employee of the XL Group acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Company and the XL Group, such director, officer or employee shall to the fullest extent permitted by law have fully satisfied and fulfilled his fiduciary duty with respect to such corporate opportunity, if such director, officer or employee acts in a manner consistent with the following policy:

(i) a corporate opportunity made available to any person who is a Director but not an Officer or employee of the Company and who is also a director, officer or employee of the XL Group shall belong to the Company only if such opportunity is expressly made available to such person solely in his or her capacity as a Director of the Company; and

(ii) a corporate opportunity made available to any person who is an officer and/or employee of both the Company and the XL Group shall belong to the Company unless such opportunity is expressly made available to such person solely in his or her capacity as an officer or employee of the XL Group.

(b) If an Officer, Director or employee of the Company, who also is an officer, director or employee of the XL Group, acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or matter that may be a corporate opportunity for both the Company and the XL Group in any manner not addressed by paragraph (4)(a) of thisBye-law 18, such officer, director or employee shall have no duty to communicate or present such corporate opportunity to the Company and shall to the fullest extent permitted by law not be liable to the Company or its Shareholders for breach of fiduciary duty as an Officer, Director or employee of the Company by reason of the fact that the XL Group pursues

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or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, directs such corporate opportunity to another person or entity or does not present such corporate opportunity to the Company.

(5) For purposes of thisBye-law 18, (a) a “subsidiary” of the Company shall include any Person controlled by the Company, (b) the term “XL Group” shall include any Person controlled by XL Capital Ltd (other than the Company and its subsidiaries) and (c) “corporate opportunities” shall include, but not be limited to, business opportunities that the Company is financially able to undertake, which are, from their nature, in the line of the Company’s business, are of practical advantage to it and are ones in which the Company, but for the provisions of paragraphs (3) and (4) of thisBye-law 18, would have an interest or a reasonable expectancy, and in which, by embracing the opportunities, the self-interest of the XL Group or its officers, directors or employees will be brought into conflict with that of the Company. For the avoidance of doubt, if a director, officer or employee of the XL Group first acquires knowledge of a corporate opportunity principally in such director’s, officer’s or employee’s capacity as a Director, Officer or employee of the Company, such corporate opportunity shall belong solely to the Company and not to the XL Group unless the Company has determined not to pursue such corporate opportunity, in which case, the XL Group and its directors, officers and employees shall to the fullest extent permitted by law not be liable to the Company or its Shareholders for breach of any fiduciary duty as a Shareholder of the Company by reason of the fact that the XL Group acquires or seeks such corporate opportunity for itself, directs such corporate opportunity to another person or entity, or otherwise does not communicate information regarding such corporate opportunity to the Company.

(6) ThisBye-law 18 shall be given effect to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

18. Intentionally Left Blank

19. Remuneration of Directors

The remuneration and benefits (if any) of the Directors shall be determined by theCompensationNominating and Governance Committee. The Directors may also be paid or reimbursed for all travel, hotel and other expenses properly and reasonably incurred by them in attending and returning from meetings of the Board, any committee appointed by the Board, general or special meetings of the Company or in connection with the business of the Company or their duties as Directors generally.

26. Indemnification and Exculpation of Directors of the Company and Others

(1) The Company shall, pursuant to Section 42in the case of Directors, Officers and employees, and may (in the discretion of the Companies Act 1981,Board) in the case of agents, indemnify, in accordance with and to the full extent now or (if greater) hereafter permitted by Bermuda law, each such Person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (including, without limitation, an action by or in the right of the Company), by reason of such person’s acting in such capacity or acting in any other capacity for, or on behalf of, the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to the approval or disapproval of any transaction between or among the Company and one or more of its Affiliates or the pursuit of corporate opportunities), against any liability or expense actually and reasonably incurred by such Person in respect thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, the indemnity provided in thisBye-law 26 shall extend, without limitation, to any matter in which an indemnified party may be guilty of negligence, default, breach of duty or breach of trust in relation to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, but shall not extend to any matter as to which such indemnified party admits that he is guilty, or is found, by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final judgment or decree not subject to appeal, guilty, of any fraud or dishonesty in relation to the Company. The Company shall, in the case of Directors, Officers and employees, and may, in the case of agents, advance the expenses of defending any such act, suit or proceeding;provided that such advancement shall be subject to reimbursement by such Director, Officer, employee or agent to the extent such person shall be found not to be entitled to such advancement of expenses under Bermuda law.

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(2) The Board may authorize the Company to purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any Person who is or was a Director, Officer, employee or agent of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a Director, Officer, employee or agent of another company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or in a fiduciary or other capacity with respect to any employee benefit plan maintained by the Company, against any liability asserted against him and incurred by him in any such capacity, or arising out of his status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to issueindemnify him against such liability under the provisions of thisBye-law 26.

(3) Directors, Officers and employees of the Company shall have no personal liability to the Company or its Shareholders for any action or failure to act to the fullest extent for which they are indemnified hereunder.

(4) The indemnification, expense reimbursement, exculpation and other provisions provided by thisBye-law 26 shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the persons identified in thisBye-law 26 may be entitled under any bye-law, agreement, vote of Shareholders or Directors or otherwise, both as to action in his official capacity and as to action in another capacity while holding such office, and shall continue as to a Person who has ceased to be a Director, Officer, employee or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such a Person.

(5) For the purpose of thisBye-Law 26 an Officer would include internal counsel of the Company.

27. Waiver of Certain Claims

(1) Each present and future Shareholder agrees to waive any claim or right of action such Shareholder might have, whether individually or by or in the right of the Company, against any Director, Officer or employee on account of any action taken by such Director, Officer or employee, or the failure of such Director, Officer or employee to take any action, in the performance of his duties with or for the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, with respect to the approval or disapproval of any transaction between the Company and one or more of its Affiliates, the pursuit of corporate opportunities or the reporting to Shareholders of related person insurance income), in each case to the full extent that such Director, Officer or employee may be indemnified underBye-law 26.

(2) The provisions of thisBye-law 27 shall apply to, and for the benefit of, any Person acting as (or with the reasonable belief that he or she will be appointed or elected as) a Director, Officer or employee in the reasonable belief that he or she has been so appointed or elected notwithstanding any defect in such appointment or election and to any Person who is no longer, but at one time was, a Director, Officer or employee.

(3) This Bye-law is not intended to limit the scope ofBye-law 18.

31. Short Notice

Subject to any applicable requirements ofthe New York Stock Exchange (or any otherany applicable stock exchange)or any applicable OTC market, a general meeting of the Company shall, notwithstanding that it is called by shorter notice than that specified in these Bye-laws, be deemed to have been properly called if it is so agreed by (i) all of the Shareholders entitled to attend and vote thereat, in the case of an annual general meeting of Shareholders or (ii) by a majority in number of the Shareholders having the right to attend and vote at the meeting, being a majority together holding not less than 95% in nominal value of the shares giving a right to attend and vote thereat, in the case of a special general meeting.

36. Written Resolutions

(1) Subject to paragraph (6) of thisBye-law 36, anything that may be done by resolution of the Company in general meeting or by resolution of a meeting of any class of the Shareholders of the Company may, without a meeting and without any previous notice being required, be done by

A-4


resolution in writing signed by, or, in the case of a Shareholder that is a corporation, whether or not a company within the meaning of the Act, on behalf of, all of the Shareholders who at the date of the resolution would be entitled to attend the meeting and vote on the resolution.

(2) A resolution in writing may be signed by, or, in the case of a Shareholder that is a corporation, whether or not a company within the meaning of the Act, on behalf of, all of the Shareholders, or any class thereof, in as many counterparts as may be necessary.

(3) A resolution in writing made in accordance with thisBye-law 36 is as valid as if it had been passed by the Company in general meeting or by a meeting of the relevant class of Shareholders and such resolution passed shall constitute the holding of a meeting so required under the Act.

(4) A resolution in writing made in accordance with thisBye-law 36 is as valid as if it had been passed by the Company in general meeting or by a meeting of the relevant class of Shareholders, as the case may be, and any reference in any Bye-law to a meeting at which a resolution is passed or to Shareholders voting in favor of a resolution shall be construed accordingly

(5) A resolution in writing made in accordance with thisBye-law 36 shall constitute minutes for the purposes of the Act.

(6) ThisBye-law 36 shall not apply to a resolution passed to remove an Auditor from office before the expiration of such Auditor’s term of office.

Notwithstanding section 77A of the Act anything which may be done by resolution of the Shareholders in a general meeting shall not be done by resolution in writing.

38. Voting at Meetings

Subject to the provisions of the Act and these Bye-laws, any question proposed for the consideration of the Shareholders at any general meeting shall be decided by the affirmative votes of a majority of the votes cast in accordance with the provisions of these Bye-laws and, in the case of an equality of votes, the resolution shall fail,provided, that, until theXL GroupSCA Shareholder Entity’s ownership of the then - outstanding common shares of the Company is first equal to or less than 35%, (i) the acquisition, sale, lease or transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, (ii) the discontinuance or redomestication of the Company out of Bermuda to another jurisdiction, (iii) mergers or amalgamations and (iv) the liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company shall, in each case, be approved by the affirmative vote of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the votes cast in accordance with the provisions of these Bye-laws; provided further, that, at any election of Directors, nominees shall be elected by a plurality of the votes cast.

44. Adjustment Of Voting Power

(1) If and for so long as (and whenever) the shares of a Shareholder, including any votes conferred by Controlled Shares, would otherwise represent more than 9.5% of the aggregate voting power of all shares entitled to vote on a matter, including an election of Directors, the votes conferred by such shares are hereby reduced by whatever amount is necessary such that, after giving effect to any such reduction (and any other reductions in voting power required by these Bye-laws), the votes conferred by such shares shall represent 9.5% of the aggregate voting power of all shares of the Company entitled to vote on such matter; provided, however, that, except as provided in paragraph (2) of thisBye-law 44, no such reduction in votes shall occur with respect to(i) shares held by any member of the XL Group or (ii) shares transferred by the XL Group to any Person that is not a member of the XL Group in a transaction not registere d under the Securities Act (or exempt from such registration pursuant to Rule 144 of the Securities Act or any successor provision thereof) and, upon the consummation of such transfer, any shares previously held or subsequently acquired by such Person (or an Affiliate thereof), but, in each case, only for so long as such Person (or an Affiliate thereof) continues to hold such sharesthe shares held by the SCA Shareholder Entity (it being understood that thisclause (ii)proviso shall not apply to shares transferred bysuch Person (or an Affiliate thereof) to any non-Affiliate thereof); provided, in the case of this clause (ii), that the Board receive prompt (and, in any event, within 15 Business Days of the completion of such transfer) notice from the XL Group and such Person of such transfer and the applicability of

A-5


this clause (ii) to such Person’s shares;provided, further, that the XL Group shall not be entitled to provide such notice in respect of more than three such transferees.

(2) If and for so long as the votes conferred by shares held by the XL Group would otherwise represent more than 50.1% of the aggregate voting power of all shares entitled to vote generally at an election of Directors, the votes conferred by such shares are hereby reduced by whatever amount is necessary such that, after giving effect to any such reduction, the votes conferred by such shares shall represent no more than 50.1% of the aggregate voting power of all shares of the Company entitled to vote generally at any election of Directors. If and so long as the votes conferred by shares held by the XL Group would otherwise represent more than 47.5% of the aggregate voting power of all shares entitled to vote on a matter (other than the election of Directors), the votes conferred by such shares held by the XL Group, with respect to voting on such matters, shall represent no more than 47.5% of the aggregate voting power of all shares of the Company entitled to vote on such matter. Either or both of such limitations shall cease to apply, or may be adjusted upwards, upon receipt by the Company of written confirmation from each nationally recognized rating agency then providing a financial strength rating for the Company and/or its subsidiaries that such financial strength rating is or will be determined without reference to the ratings of any member of the XL Group or that the then financial strength rating issued by it will not at the time of such confirmation be adversely affected by the elimination or adjustment of such limitation, and, in the case of any adjustment (as opposed to elimination), the applicable percentages set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph (2) shall automatically be adjusted to those percentages as so determined by the foregoing;provided, however, that, in the event that any such written confirmation shall later be rescinded, such limitation shall be reinstated at a percentage equal to the lesser of (i) such percentage as is required by the rescinding rating agency and (ii) the percentage set forth in the first sentence of this paragraph (2) originally applicable to such limitationthe SCA Shareholder Entity).

(2)(3) Upon notice by a Shareholder to the Board, the number of votes conferred by the total number of shares held directly by such Shareholder shall be reduced to that percentage of the total voting power of the Company, as so designated by such Shareholder (subject to acceptance of such reduction by the Board in its sole discretion), such that (and to the extent that) such Shareholder or the Company may meet any applicable insurance or other regulatory or rating agency requirements or voting threshold or limitation or to evidence that such Person’s voting power is no greater than such threshold.

(3)(4) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of thisBye-law 44, after having applied such provisions as best as they consider reasonably practicable, the Board may make such final adjustments to the aggregate number of votes conferred, directly or indirectly or by attribution, by the Controlled Shares of any Person that they consider fair and reasonable under the circumstances to ensure that such votes represent 9.5% (or the percentage designated by a Shareholder pursuant to paragraph (3 2) of thisBye-law 44).Such adjustments intended to implement the 9.5% limitation set forth in paragraph (1) of thisBye-law 44 shall be subject to the proviso contained in such paragraph (1), but adjustments intended to implement the limitation set forth in a notice pursuant to paragraph (3) of thisBye-law 44 shall not be subject to the proviso contained in paragraph (1).

(4)(5) The Board may take all other appropriate steps, and require such other documentation, subject to reasonable confidentiality provisions, to effectuate the foregoing.

45. Other Adjustments of Voting Power

In addition to the principles described inBye-law 44, the Board may make further adjustments to voting rights and may determine that shares held by a Shareholder shall carry different voting rights, in any such case, only to the extent that it determines appropriate to avoid adverse tax, legal, rating agency or regulatory consequences to the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any direct or indirect holder of shares or its Affiliates;provided, however, that thisBye-law 45 shall not apply to theXL Group or any other Person who has the benefit of clause (ii) to paragraph (1) ofBye-law 44.SCA Shareholder Entity. For the avoidance of doubt, in applying the provisions ofBye-laws 44-47 (inclusive), a share may carry a fraction of a vote.

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46. Board Determination Binding

Any determination by the Board as to any reduction in voting power of any shares made pursuant to paragraph (1) or(4)(3) ofBye-law 44 orBye-law 45 shall be final and binding and any vote taken based on such determination shall not be capable of being challenged solely on the basis of such determination.

50. Variation Of Rights, Alteration of Share Capital and Purchase of Shares of the Company

(1) Subject to the provisions of the Act, any preference or preferred shares which are,may be issued or converted into shares that, at a determinable date or at the option of the holder,Company, are liable to be redeemed.redeemed on such terms and in such manner as, before the issue or conversion, may be determined by the Board.

(2) If at any time the share capital is divided into different classes or series of shares, the rights attached to any class or series (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of such class or series) may, whether or not the Company is being wound-up, be varied with the consent in writing of the holders of three-fourths of the issued shares of that class or series or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of the votes cast at a separate general meeting of the holders of the shares of the class or series. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class or series issued with preferred or other rights shall not, unless otherwise expressly provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class or series, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares rankingpari passu therewith or having less rights. Further, the rights attaching to the common shares shall be deemed not to be varied by the creation or issue of any share ranking in priority for payment of a dividend or with any other rights more favorable than those conferred by the common shares.

2.

(3) The Company shall,may from time to time by resolution of the Shareholders or pursuant to Section 42Bye-law 49 (as applicable) change the currency denomination of, increase, alter, divide, consolidate, subdivide, diminish or reduce its share capital in accordance with the provisions of the CompaniesAct. Where, on any change or reduction of share capital as aforesaid, fractions of shares or some other difficulty would arise, the Board may deal with or resolve the same in such manner as it thinks fit, including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the issue to Shareholders, as appropriate, of fractions of shares and/or arranging for the sale or transfer of the fractions of shares of Shareholders.

(4) The Company may from time to time purchase (or repurchase) its own shares in accordance with the provisions of the Act 1981, haveon such terms as the powerBoard shall think fit. The Board may exercise all of the powers of the Company to purchase (or repurchase) all or any part of its own shares.shares in accordance with the Act.

3.

(5) The Board may, at its sole discretion, authorise the acquisition by the Company shall, pursuant to Section 42B of the Companies Act 1981, have the power to acquire its own shares, to be held as treasury shares.shares, upon such terms as the Board may in its absolute discretion determine, provided always that such acquisition is effected in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Company shall be entered in the Register of Shareholders as a Shareholder in respect of the shares held by the Company as treasury shares and shall be a Shareholder but subject always to the provisions of the Act and for the avoidance of doubt the Company shall not exercise any rights and shall not enjoy or participate in any of the rights attaching to those shares save as expressly provided for in the Act.

(6) Subject to the provisions of these Bye-Laws, any shares of the Company held by the Company as treasury shares shall be at the disposal of the Board, which may hold all or any of the shares, dispose of or transfer all or any of the shares for cash or other consideration, or cancel all or any of the shares.

A-2(5) (7) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not vary the rights attaching to any class or series of shares, change or reduce its share capital or purchase (or repurchase) its own shares if the Board, after taking into account, among other things, any reduction in voting power required byBye- laws 44-47 (inclusive), determines that any non-de minimis adverse tax, regulatory

A-7


or legal consequences to the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any direct or indirect holder of shares or its Affiliates would result from such action.

53. Share Certificates

(1) Every Shareholder shall be entitled to a certificate issued under the seal of the Company (or a facsimile thereof) or signed by a Director, the Secretary or any person authorised by the Board for that purpose, specifying the number and, where appropriate, the class or series of shares held by such Shareholder and whether the same are fully paid up and, if not, how much has been paid thereon. The Board may determine, either generally or in a particular case, that any or all signatures on certificates may be printed thereon or affixed by mechanical means.NotwithstandingBye-law 79, the Board may determine that a share certificate need not be signed on behalf of the Company or that the seal of the Company need not be attested.

(2) The Company shall be under no obligation to complete and deliver a share certificate unless specifically called upon to do so by the Person to whom such shares have been allotted.

(3) If any such certificate shall be proved to the satisfaction of the Board to have been worn out, lost, mislaid or destroyed, the Board may cause a new certificate to be issued and request an indemnity for the lost certificate if it sees fit.

60. Restrictions on Transfer

(1) (a) The Board may decline to approve or register any transfer of shares if it appears to the Board, after taking into account, among other things, any reduction in voting power required pursuant to the provisions ofBye-laws 44-47 (inclusive), that any non-de minimis adverse tax, regulatory or legal consequences to the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, or any other direct or indirect holder of shares or its Affiliates would result from such transfer (including if such consequence arises as a result of any such Person (other than theXL Group or any other Person who has the benefit of clause (ii) to paragraph (1) ofBye law 44SCA Shareholder Entity) owning Controlled Shares of more than 9.5% of the value of the Company or the voting shares of the Company). The Board shall have the authority to request from any holder of shares, and such holder of shares shall provide, such information as the Board may reasonably request for the purpose of determining whether any transfer should be permitted.

(2)(b) Unless otherwise required by any applicable requirements ofthe New York Stock Exchange (or anyother applicable stock exchange or applicable OTC market, the Board (i) may decline to approve or to register any transfer of any share if a written opinion from counsel acceptable to the Company shall not have been obtained to the effect that registration of such shares under theU.S. Securities Actof 1933, as amended, is not required and (ii) shall decline to approve or to register any transfer of any share if the transferee shall not have been approved by applicable governmental authorities if such approval is required or if not in compliance with applicable consent, authorization or permission of any governmental body or agency in Bermuda.

(3)(c) If the Board refuses to register a transfer of any share, the Secretary shall send, or procure that there shall be sent, within one month after the date on which the transfer was lodged with the Company, to the transferor and transferee notice of the refusal.

(4)(d) The registration of transfers may be suspended at such times and for such periods as the Board may from time to time determine,providedalways that such registration shall not be suspended for more than 45 days in any year.

(5)(e) Shares may be transferred without a written instrument if transferred by an appointed agent or otherwise in accordance with the Act.

(6f) The restrictions on transfer of shares contained in thisBye-law 60 (1)shall not apply to any transfer (being in compliance with applicable consent, authorization or permission of Bermuda Monetary Authority) in connection with (a) any public offering of the Company’s shares (whether a primary or secondary offering) or (b) any transaction approved by the Board prior to these Bye-laws coming into effect (as indicated in the resolutions of the Shareholders adopting these Bye-laws).

A-8


(2) (a) As used in thisBye-law 60(2) only, the term:

(i) “Company Securities” means (I) common shares of the Company, (II) Preference shares of the Company, (III) warrants, rights, options or interests that are similar to options (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T(h)(4)(v)) to purchase common shares or preference shares of the Company, and (IV) any other interests that would be treated as “stock” of the Company pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T(f)(18).

(ii) “Percentage Stock Ownership” means percentage stock ownership as determined in accordance with Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T(g), (h), (j) and (k).

(iii) “Five-Percent Shareholder” means a Person or group of Persons that is identified as a “5-percent shareholder” of the Company pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T(g)(l).

(iv) “Person” means an individual, estate, trust, association, company, partnership, joint venture or similar organization.

(v) “Prohibited Transfer” means any purported Transfer of Company Securities to the extent that such Transfer is prohibited and void under thisBye-law 60(2).

(vi) “Restriction Release Date” means, as determined by the Board in its sole discretion, the earlier to occur of (x) the fifteen-year anniversary of the effective date of thisBye-law 60(2) (the “Expiration Time”), (y) the repeal of Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (and any comparable successor provision) (“Section 382”), or (z) the beginning of a taxable year of the Company (or any successor thereof) to which no Tax Benefits may be carried forward; provided, that, the Board may in its sole discretion resolve from time to time to extend the Expiration Time for up to an additional five years.

(vii) “Tax Benefits” means the net operating loss carry-overs, capital loss carry-overs, general business credit carry-overs, alternative minimum tax credit carry-overs and foreign tax credit carry-overs, as well as any “net unrealized built-in loss” within the meaning of Section 382, of the Company or any direct or indirect subsidiary thereof.

(viii) “Transfer” means any direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment, conveyance, pledge, or other disposition of Company Securities. A Transfer also shall include the creation or grant of an option or of an interest that is similar to an option (within the meaning of Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T(h)(4)(v)) to effect a Transfer. A Transfer shall not include an issuance, allotment or grant of Company Securities by the Company or any repurchase of Company Securities by the Company.

(ix) “Treasury Regulation Section 1.382-2T” means the temporary income tax regulations promulgated under Section 382 and any successor regulations. References to any subsection of such regulations include references to any successor subsection thereof.

(b) Restrictions. In addition to any restrictions on transfer contained inBye-law 60(1), any attempted Transfer of Company Securities prior to the Restriction Release Date, or any attempted Transfer of Company Securities pursuant to an agreement entered into prior to the Restriction Release Date shall be prohibited and void ab initio to the extent that, as a result of such Transfer (or any series of Transfers of which such Transfer is a part), either (1) any Person or group of Persons shall become a Five-Percent Shareholder, or (2) the Percentage Stock Ownership interest in the Company of any Five-Percent Shareholder shall be increased, provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall preclude the settlement of any transaction in the Company Securities entered into through the facilities of any applicable stock exchange on which the Company Securities may be listed (if any) or any applicable OTC market on which the Company Securities may be quoted (if any).

(c) Certain Exceptions. The restrictions set forth inBye-law 60(2)(b) shall not apply to any attempted Transfer if the transferor or the transferee obtains the approval of the Board. As a condition to granting its approval, the Board may, in its discretion, require an opinion of counsel selected by the Board that the Transfer shall not result in the application of any Section 382 limitation on the use of the Tax Benefits. The restrictions set forth inBye-law 60(2)(b) shall not apply to any attempted Transfer which occurs after the Board shall have suspended the effectiveness

A-9


of the restrictions set forth inBye-law 60(2)(b) by public announcement and prior to the time that the restrictions set forth inBye-law 60(2)(b) are restored to full force and effect by the Board.

(d) Treatment of Excess Securities

(i) No employee, officer or agent of the Company shall record any Prohibited Transfer, and the purported transferee of such a Prohibited Transfer (the “Purported Transferee”) shall not be recognized as a Member of the Company for any purpose whatsoever in respect of the Company Securities which are the subject of the Prohibited Transfer (the “Excess Securities”). Until the Excess Securities are acquired by another Person in a Transfer that is not a Prohibited Transfer, the Purported Transferee shall not be entitled with respect to such Excess Securities to any rights of a Shareholder, including without limitation, the right to vote such Excess Securities and to receive dividends or distributions, whether liquidating or otherwise, in respect thereof, if any. Once the Excess Securities have been acquired in a Transfer that is not a Prohibited Transfer, the Company Securities shall cease to be Excess Securities.

(ii) If the Board determines that a Transfer of Company Securities constitutes a Prohibited Transfer then, upon written demand by the Company, the Purported Transferee shall transfer or cause to be transferred the Excess Securities, accompanied by the certificate for the Excess Securities (if any has been issued), together with any dividends or other distributions that were received by the Purported Transferee from the Company with respect to the Excess Securities (“Prohibited Distributions”), to an agent designated by the Board (the “Agent”). The Agent shall thereupon sell to a buyer or buyers, which may include the Company, the Excess Securities transferred to it in one or more arm’s-length transactions (over any applicable stock exchange or applicable OTC market if possible); provided, however, that the Agent shall effect such sale or sales in an orderly fashion and shall not be required to effect any such sale within any specific time frame if, in the Agent’s discretion, such sale or sales would disrupt the market for the Company Securities or would otherwise adversely affect the value of the Company Securities. If the Purported Transferee has resold the Excess Securities before receiving the Company’s demand to surrender the Excess Securities to the Agent, the Purported Transferee shall be deemed to have sold the Excess Securities for the Agent, and shall be required to transfer to the Agent any Prohibited Distributions and the proceeds of such sale, except to the extent that the Agent grants written permission to the Purported Transferee to retain a portion of such sales proceeds not exceeding the amount that the Purported Transferee would have received from the Agent pursuant toBye-law 60(2)(d)(iii) if the Agent rather than the Purported Transferee had resold the Excess Securities.

(iii) The Agent shall apply any proceeds of sale by it of Excess Securities and, if the Purported Transferee had previously resold the Excess Securities, any amounts received by it from a Purported Transferee, as follows; (1) first, such amounts shall be paid to the Agent to the extent necessary to cover its costs and expenses incurred in connection with its duties hereunder; (2) second, any remaining amounts shall be paid to the Purported Transferee, up to the amount paid by the Purported Transferee for the Excess Securities (or the fair market value, calculated on the basis of the closing market price for Company Securities on the day before the Transfer, of the Excess Securities at the time of the attempted Transfer to the Purported Transferee by gift, inheritance, or similar Transfer), which amount (or fair market value) shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Board; and (3) third, any remaining amounts shall be paid to one or more organizations qualifying under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code (and any comparable successor provision) selected by the Board. The recourse of any Purported Transferee in respect of any Prohibited Transfer shall be limited to the amount payable to the Purported Transferee pursuant to clause (2) of the preceding sentence. In no event shall the proceeds of any sale of Excess Securities pursuant to thisBye-law 60(2) inure to the benefit of the Company.

(iv) If the Purported Transferee fails to surrender the Excess Securities or the proceeds of a sale thereof to the Agent within thirty business days from the date on which the Company makes a demand pursuant toBye-law 60(2)(d)(ii), then the Company shall institute legal proceedings to compel the surrender of such Excess Securities.

A-10


(v) The Company shall make the demand described inBye-law 60(2)(d)(ii) within thirty days of the date on which the Board determines that the attempted Transfer would result in Excess Securities; provided, however, that if the Company makes such demand at a later date, the provisions of thisBye-law 60(2) shall apply nonetheless.

(e) Legends, Determinations

(i) All certificates representing Company Securities issued after the ef fectiveness of thisBye-law 60(2) shall bear a conspicuous legend as follows:

THE TRANSFER OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS PURSUANT TOBYE-LAW 60(2) OF SYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD. PREPRINTED IN ITS ENTIRETY ON THE BACK OF THIS CERTIFICATE.

(ii) The Board shall have the power to determine all matters necessary to determine compliance with thisBye-law 60(2), including without limitation (1) whether a new Five-Percent Shareholder would be required to be identified in certain circumstances, (2) whether a Transfer is a Prohibited Transfer, (3) the Percentage Stock Ownership in the Company of any Five-Percent Shareholder, (4) whether an instrument constitutes a Company Security, (5) the amount (or fair market value) due to a Purported Transferee pursuant to clause (2) of sub-paragraph (D)(iii) of thisBye-law 60(2), and (6) any other matters which the Board determines to be relevant; and the good faith determination of the Board on such matters shall be conclusive and binding for all the purposes of thisBye-law 60(2).

75. Notices to Shareholders of the Company

(1) Any notice or other document (including but not limited to a share certificate, any notice of a general meeting of the Company, and any instrument of proxy) may be sent to, served on or delivered to any Shareholder by the Company

(a)

personally;

(b)

by sending it through the post (by airmail where applicable) in a pre-paid letter addressed to such Shareholder at his address as appearing in the Register;

(c)

by sending it by courier to or leaving it at the Shareholder’s address appearing in the Register;

(d)

by, where applicable, sending it by email or facsimile or other mode of representing or reproducing words in a legible and non-transitory form or by sending an electronic record of it by electronic means, in each case to an address or number supplied by such Shareholder for the purposes of communication in such manner; or

(e)

by publication of an electronic record of it on a website and notification of such publication (which shall include the address of the website, the place on the website where the document may be found, and how the document may be accessed on the website) by any of the methods set out in paragraphs 75(1)(a), 75(1)(b), 45(1)(c) or 75(1)(d) of this Bye-Law, in accordance with the Companies Acts.

(2) Any notice or other document delivered, sent or given to a Shareholder in any manner permitted by these Bye-Laws shall, notwithstanding that such Shareholder is then dead or bankrupt or that any other event has occurred, and whether or not the Company has notice of the death or bankruptcy or other event, be deemed to have been duly served or delivered in respect of any share registered in the name of such Shareholder as sole or joint holder unless his name shall, at the time of the service or delivery of the notice or document, have been removed from the Register as the holder of the share, and such service or delivery shall for all purposes be deemed as sufficient service or delivery of such notice or document on all persons interested (whether jointly with or as claiming through or under him) in the share.

A notice may be given by the Company to any Shareholder either by delivering it to such Shareholder in person or by sending it to such Shareholder’s address in the Register of Shareholders or to such other address given for the purpose. For the purposes of thisBYE-LAW 75, a notice may

A-11


be sent by mail, courier service, facsimile, email or other mode of representing words in a legible form.

(3) Save as otherwise provided, the provisions of these Bye-Laws as to service of notices and other documents on Shareholders shallmutatis mutandisapply to service or delivery of notices and other documents to the Company or any Director, Alternate Director or Resident Representative pursuant to these Bye-Laws.

77. Service and Delivery of Notice

(1) Any notice or other document shall be deemed to have been servedat the time when the same would be delivered in the ordinary course of transmission (which shall be deemed to be two calendar days from deposit in the case of mail) and,312on or delivered to any Shareholder by the Company

(a)

if sent by personal delivery, at the time of delivery;

(b)

if sent by post, forty-eight (48) hours after it was put in the post;

(c)

if sent by courier or facsimile, twenty-four (24) hours after sending;

(d)

if sent by email or other mode of representing or reproducing words in a legible and non- transitory form or as an electronic record by electronic means, twelve (12) hours after sending; or

(e)

if published as an electronic record on a website, at the time that the notification of such publication shall be deemed to have been delivered to such Shareholder,

and in proving such service or delivery, it shall be sufficient to prove that the notice or document was properly addressed andprepaid, if mailed, and the time when it was mailed, delivered to the courier or transmitted by facsimile, email, or such other method, as the case may bestamped and put in the post, published on a website in accordance with the Companies Acts and the provisions of these Bye-Laws, or sent by courier, facsimile, email or as an electronic record by electronic means, as the case may be, in accordance with these Bye-Laws.

Each Shareholder and each person becoming a Shareholder subsequent to the adoption of these Bye-laws, by virtue of its holding or its acquisition and continued holding of a share, as applicable, shall be deemed to have acknowledged and agreed that any notice or other document (excluding a share certificate) may be provided by the Company by way of accessing them on a website instead of being provided by other means.

78. The Seal

The seal of the Company shall be in such form as the Board may from time to time determine. The Board may adopt one or more duplicate seals.(1) The Board may authorise the production of a common seal of the Company and one or more duplicate common seals of the Company, which shall consist of a circular device with the name of the Company around the outer margin thereof and the country and year of registration in Bermuda across the centre thereof.

79. Manner in Which Seal is to be Affixed

(2) Any document required to be under seal or executed as a deed on behalf of the Company may be:

(a)

executed under the Seal in accordance with these Bye-Laws; or

(b)

signed or executed by any person authorised by the Board for that purpose, without the use of the Seal.

(3) The Board shall provide for the custody of every Seal. A Seal shall only be used by authority of the Board or of a committee constituted by the Board. Subject to these Bye-Laws, any instrument to which a Seal is affixed shall be attested by the signature of:

A-12


(a)

Director; or

(b)

the Secretary; or

(c)

any one person authorised by the Board for that purpose.

(4)Subject toBye-law 53, the seal of the Company shall not be affixed to any instrument except attested by the signature of a Director and the Secretary or any two Directors, or any Person appointed by the Board for the purpose,provided that any Director, Officer or Resident Representative, may affix the seal of the Company attested by such Director, Officer or Resident Representative’s signature to any authenticated copies of these Bye-laws, the incorporating documents of the Company, the minutes of any meetings or any other documents required to be authenticated by such Director, Officer or Resident Representative. Any such signature may be printed or affixed by mechanical means on any share certificate, debenture, share or other security certificate.

81.80. Alteration of Bye-Laws

No Bye-law shall be rescinded, altered or amended and no new Bye-law shall be made until the same has been approved by a resolution of the Board and by a resolution of the Shareholders;provided that (i) the approval of such resolution of the Shareholders with respect to any such rescission, alteration or amendment of, or the adoption of any Bye-law or provision inconsistent with,Bye-laws 8, 10, 11, 12, 14,18, 26, 27, 29, 31, 38, 44, 45,46 or46,47, 60 or thisBye-law8180 or any material defined term used in any such Bye-law shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty-six and two-thirds percent (66 2/3%) of the total combined voting power of all issued and outstanding shares of the Company, and (ii) any such rescission, alteration or amendment of, or the adoption of any Bye-law or provision inconsistent with,Bye-law 27 or any material defined term used in suchBye-law 27 shall not affect the waiver of any claim or right of action with respect to past acts or omissionsand (iii) any such rescission, alteration or am endment of, or the adoption of any Bye-law or provision inconsistent with,Bye-law 18 or any material defined term used in such Bye-law 18 shall require the prior written consent of XL Capital Ltd.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


PLEASE DATE AND SIGN YOUR PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
qPLEASE DETACH PROXY CARD HERE
q

 

SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTD

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF HOLDERS OF COMMON SHARES
TO BE HELD ON MAY 20, 2008VOTE BY MAIL, PLEASE DETACH PROXY CARD HERE

SYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD.

SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING OF HOLDERS OF COMMON SHARES
TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 9, 2009

P
R
O
X
Y
THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TThe undersigned holder of Common Shares of Syncora Holdings Ltd. hereby appoints Susan Comparato to be its proxy and to vote for the undersigned on all matters arising at the Special General Meeting of holders of Common Shares of Syncora Holdings Ltd. or any adjournment thereof, and to represent the undersigned at such meeting or any adjournment thereof to be held on February 9, 2009 in New York, New York.

The undersigned holder of Common Shares of Security Capital Assurance Ltd hereby appoints Paul S. Giordano, or failing him, Susan Comparato, to be its proxy and to vote for the undersigned on all matters arising at the Annual General Meeting of holders of Common Shares of Security Capital Assurance Ltd or any adjournment thereof, and to represent the undersigned at such meeting or any adjournment thereof to be held on May 20, 2008 in Pembroke, Bermuda.

The Common Shares represented hereby will be voted with the instructions contained herein. If no instruction is given, the Common Shares will be voted “FOR” Items 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the reverse hereof, all said items being fully described in the notice of such meeting, dated as of April 25, 2008, and the accompanying proxy statement, receipt of which are hereby acknowledged. The undersigned ratifies and confirms all that said proxies or their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

(Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side)

The Common Shares represented hereby will be voted with the instructions contains herein. If no instruction is given, the Common Shares will be voted “FOR” Items 1 through 10 on the reverse hereof, all said items being fully described in the notice of such meeting, dated as of January 14, 2009, and the accompanying proxy statement, receipt of which are hereby acknowledged. The undersigned ratifies and confirms all that said proxies or their substitutes may lawfully do by virtue hereof.

PLEASE DATE AND SIGN YOUR PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.


SECURITY CAPITAL ASSURANCE LTD OFFERS STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD
THREE WAYS TO VOTE YOUR PROXY(Continued, and to be marked, dated and signed, on the other side)

SYNCORA HOLDINGS LTD OFFERS STOCKHOLDERS OF RECORD
THREE WAYS TO VOTE YOUR PROXY

Your telephone or Internet vote authorizes the named proxies to vote your shares in the same manner as if you had returned your proxy card. We encourage you to use these cost effective and convenient ways of voting, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

TELEPHONE VOTING

This method of voting is available for residents of the U.S. and Canada. On a touch tone telephone, call TOLL FREE 1-877-816-0837,24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have this proxy card ready, then follow the prerecorded instructions. Your vote will be confirmed and cast as you have directed. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on February 6, 2009.

INTERNET VOTING

Visit the Internet voting Web site at http://proxy.georgeson.com.Have this proxy card ready and follow the instructions on your screen. You will incur only your usual Internet charges. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on February 6, 2009.

VOTING BY MAIL

Simply sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope to Georgeson Inc., Wall Street Station, P.O. Box 1100, New York, NY 10269-0646. If you are voting by telephone or the Internet, please do not mail your proxy card.


TELEPHONE VOTING
COMPANY NUMBERCONTROL NUMBER

TO VOTE BY MAIL, PLEASE DETACH PROXY CARD HERE

xPlease mark
votes as in
this example.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” ITEMS 1 THROUGH 10.

FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
1.To approve an amendment to bye-law 3 of theBye-Laws so that the ChiefExecutive Officer need not serve as a Director of the Company;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
3.To approve amendments to bye-laws 1, 18, 27, 38, 44,45 and 81 of the Bye-Laws to remove references to theXL Group to reflect that XL Capital Ltd is no longer a shareholder of the Company;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
5.To approve an amendment to bye-law 36 of the Bye-Laws to prohibit shareholders of the Company from adopting resolutions by written consent;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
7.To approve amendments to bye-laws 3, 53 and 78 ofthe Bye-Laws to eliminate the requirement that certaindeeds and other instruments be executed under the company seal;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
9.To approve an amendment to bye-law 60 of the Bye-Laws to impose a mandatory restriction on the transferof the Company’s equity securities such that no personor group may become a “Five-Percent Shareholder” astherein defined and no existing “Five-PercentShareholder” may increase its stock ownership;ccc
 
INTERNET VOTING
VOTING BY MAIL
     
This method of voting is available for residents of the U.S. and Canada. On a touch tone telephone, call TOLL FREE1-877-816-0837, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Have this proxy card ready, then follow the prerecorded instructions. Your vote will be confirmed and cast as you have directed. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 19, 2008.
Visit the Internet voting Web site at http://proxy.georgeson.com. Have this proxy card ready and follow the instructions on your screen. You will incur only your usual Internet charges. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on May 19, 2008.
Simply sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope to Georgeson Inc., Wall Street Station, P.O. Box 1100, New York, NY 10269-0646. If you are voting by telephone or the Internet, please do not mail your proxy card.

FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
2.To approve an amendment to bye-law 19 of the Bye-Laws so that remuneration and benefits of Directorswill be determined by the Nominating & Governance Committee;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
4.To approve amendments to bye-laws 38, 44, 45 and 60of the Bye-Laws to transfer certain of the original rightsof the XL Group under the Bye-Laws tothe SCA Shareholder Entity;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
6.To approve an amendment to bye-law 50 of the Bye-Laws to allow the Company to hold its own shares, i.e., treasury shares;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
8.To approve amendments to bye-laws 75 and 77 of theBye-Laws to specify certain documents to which thenotice provisions apply, the methods and time periods for delivery and the proof of such delivery;ccc
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
10.To approve amendments to bye-laws 31 and 60 toremove references to the Company having to meet therequirements of the New York Stock Exchange in connection with the delisting of the Company by the New York Stock Exchange;ccc
11.To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournments thereof.      


  Dated
, 2009
 
  


PLEASE DATE AND SIGN YOUR PROXY CARD AND RETURN IT IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE.
qPLEASE DETACH PROXY CARD HERE
q
Signature(s)
Signature(s)
Important: Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. If you are acting as attorney-in-fact, corporate officer, or in a fiduciary capacity, please indicate the capacity in which you are signing.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS RECOMMENDS A VOTE “FOR” PROPOSALS 1, 2, 3 AND 4.

                
1.To elect: 
FORall nominees
listed (except as marked
to the contrary)

o
   
WITHHOLD
AUTHORITY to vote

for all nominees
o

 2.To ratify the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, New York, New York, to act as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for the year ending December 31, 2008. 
FOR
o
  
AGAINST
o
  
ABSTAIN
o
  (1) Mary R. Hennessy         
  (2) Coleman D. Ross     3.To approve a change in the Company’s name from Security Capital Assurance Ltd to Syncora Holdings Ltd. FOR
o
 AGAINST
o
 
ABSTAIN
o
  (3) Fred Corrado             
        4.To approve an amendment to the Company’s memorandum of association in order to implement certain amendments to the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 FOR
o
 AGAINST
o
 
ABSTAIN
o
  INSTRUCTION: To withhold authority to vote for any nominee listed, write that nominee’s name in the space provided below:
_____________________________________

             

                          00YWCF      001GS40239

Date , 2008
Signature(s)
Signature(s)
IMPORTANT: Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. If you are acting as attorney-in-fact, corporate officer, or in a fiduciary capacity, please indicate the capacity in which you are signing.