XL Group yesterday announced the opening of a new insurance office in Lyon, along with the appointments of Auberi Etienne and Clotilde Bartok.Mr Etienne has been appointed as senior casualty underwriter and Mrs Bartok joins as property underwriter.Collaborating with underwriters from the property, casualty, professional and specialty lines working out of Paris, the team in Lyon will serve middle market companies with an annual turnover ranging from approximately EUR 30 million ($39 million) to EUR 300 million ($389 million) and contribute to serving large corporates with a turnover above EUR 300 million."Our new office in Lyon, France's 2nd largest economic centre, is a continuation of our strategy to expand our network in order to provide clients and brokers in key regions direct access to local and international underwriting expertise and services,” said Daniel Maurer, chief underwriting officer of XL Group's international middle market business.We are delighted to count on Mr Etienne's and Mrs Bartok's experience in the Southeast of France to serve many additional clients and brokers with greater ease and efficiency and further grow our business in the region."Mr Etienne has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry, and joined XL Group from Hiscox, where, for the past four years, he was regional director for Southeast France. Before joining XL Group, Mrs Bartok was a property underwriter with Generali for eight years, based in Lyon.