The Securities and Exchange Commission has named Kathleen Griffin as the agency's first chief compliance officer, the latest in a series of measures undertaken to strengthen the SEC's internal compliance program.

The position was created to streamline and centralize oversight responsibility for employee securities transactions and financial disclosure reporting. Griffin, who has extensive experience in establishing and guiding compliance programs, will head a new compliance unit within the SEC's Office of Ethics Counsel.

Oversight responsibility for ensuring staff compliance in this area was previously spread between two offices. Consolidating the compliance functions within one office is intended to eliminate the potential for any inefficiency or redundancy.

Griffin begins her new position immediately and comes to the SEC from Putnam Investments, a global money management firm where she was vice president, senior compliance manager, and deputy code of ethics officer.

Earlier in her career, Griffin was senior vice president and director of compliance for Atlantic Trust Company, as well as vice president and principal of State Street Global Advisors.