SEATTLE: Berkshire Hathaway Inc's specialty business-insurance unit received a licence to sell non-life coverage in Singapore as it makes a push into Asia.

The carrier will offer commercial property, casualty, financial lines, marine, energy and construction coverage in the nation, according to a statement yesterday from Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance.

Berkshire chairman Warren Buffett hired Peter Eastwood and other executives from American International Group Inc last year to help expand sales of coverage to businesses.

The new unit of Omaha, Nebraska-based Berkshire announced yesterday in a statement that Marc Breuil and Marcus Portbury, two former AIG executives, had joined the company in Asia. Bloomberg