Natalie Lamarque, general counsel and senior vice president of New York Life Insurance Co.

New York Life Insurance Co. has promoted Natalie Lamarque to general counsel and senior vice president. Formerly the deputy general counsel, she now oversees the insurer's office of the general counsel.

The nation's largest mutual life insurance company made the announcement Tuesday.

Lamarque also joins New York Life's executive management committee and continues to report to chief legal officer and executive vice president Sheila Davidson.

"Natalie's distinguished track record in leadership roles, supported by her impressive career experiences and success in managing complex legal matters across New York Life's business, are reflected in this key promotion," said Davidson in a prepared statement. "The company will continue to benefit from her sound judgment and passion for the law."

A request for comment from Lamarque was redirected to the New York-based company's statement.

Lamarque previously was responsible for overseeing litigation and the legal responsibilities for the investment, asset management, technology and intellectual property areas. She also chaired the company's Privacy Working Group, an internal think tank collaborating on matters related to privacy.

Sheila Davidson, chief legal officer of New York Life.

Joining New York Life in 2014 as an associate general counsel in the company's litigation group. Lamarque served as chief of staff to the chief legal officer. During this time, she spearheaded legal programs related to several areas, including cybersecurity, global anti-corruption and anti-money laundering, and fraud prevention. She also served as a member of the company's corporate compliance department, where she supervised the sales practice review team, which included market surveillance, field review and handling customer complaints.

Prior to New York Life, Lamarque was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York, where she prosecuted federal crimes, including racketeering, insurance fraud and identity theft. Earlier in her career, she was an associate in the litigation department of Debevoise & Plimpton, where she focused on white-collar defense, anti-corruption, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations.

Lamarque received a Juris Doctor from Duke University School of Law.