XL Insurance has hired Peter Bitterlin, formerly of Bermuda rival PartnerRe, as its regional underwriting manager for energy.

The global insurance operations of Bermuda-based business insurer XL Capital Ltd.said Mr. Bitterlin will head the company's onshore energy team for Europe and Asia Pacific and will be based in London.

Mr. Bitterlin has more than 25 years' of underwriting experience. In his last position, as Senior Underwriter Energy with PartnerRe in Zurich, he focused on refineries and petrochemical risks as well as power generation plants and mining operations on a worldwide basis.

Prior to this he worked for Rhine Re and Baloise Insurance Company in Switzerland.