Ryan Specialty Underwriting Managers (RSUM), the underwriting management arm of Ryan Specialty, announced that Leopanthera will be renamed Ryan Financial Lines, effective January 1, 2026.
Leopanthera, a specialist in underwriting a diversified financial product line globally, joined Ryan Specialty in November 2024 through the acquisition of Innovisk Capital Partners.
Since its establishment in 2017, the team has built a strong reputation for delivering market-leading financial risk solutions in London and international markets.
Today, they trade with more than 50 Lloyd’s brokers in 105 countries and are able to serve 1,200 insureds in 67 industries, backed by high-quality underwriting capabilities.
Former Leopanthera co-founders Liz Hanlon and Paul Russell have joined Ryan Specialty’s London office as managing directors of Ryan Financial Lines’ international division.
The pair have more than 60 years of combined experience in financial underwriting and global specialty markets.
Hanlon has held key leadership positions at RGB, ME Warrington, Markel, Argo and DUAL, while Russell’s background includes senior roles at Pembroke, Encon, DUAL and AIG, where he led financial institutions.
The addition of the Leopanthera team significantly strengthens Ryan Financial Lines’ international portfolio, providing deep expertise in the global financial lines sector.
Rich Winborn, CEO of Ryan Financial Lines, International, commented: “The change to Ryan Financial Lines marks an exciting milestone in our international growth strategy. Liz and Paul have built an outstanding business with a global presence and a reputation for excellence.
“We are proud to add their team to the Ryan Financial Lines family. This expansion expands our global footprint and strengthens our ability to provide customized, best-in-class insurance for complex financial risks in diverse markets.”
RSUM also announced the promotions of key figures on Ryan Financial Lines’ executive team, including RFL North America President Patrick Mitchell, RFL International CEO Rich Winborn and RFL Cyber Global Managing Director George Paraskeva.
Prior to his new appointment, Mitchell served as chief operating officer and chief underwriting officer of the RFL, joining MGU in 2024.
He has more than 20 years of management and professional liability underwriting expertise in a variety of leadership roles, including managing the SME Finance business team and the investment portfolio of a global insurance company. As president of RFL North America, Mitchell will be responsible for the RFL’s operations in the United States and Canada.
Winborn joined Ryan Specialty in 2024 as part of its acquisition of Innovisk Capital Partners. As CEO of International, Winborn will be responsible for the RFL’s international operations.
The executive was a corporate lawyer who in 2010 became a mergers and acquisitions underwriter for the financial business unit of a global insurance company. In 2019, he launched Themis in partnership with Innovisk and successfully ran it for six years before joining Ryan Specialty.
Paraskeva first joined Ryan Specialty through EmergIn Risk in August 2021, bringing a diverse background of experience in the cyber insurance and broader cybersecurity industry.
He previously worked for a space MGA, leading day-to-day cyber underwriting capabilities while also managing the MGA’s technical cybersecurity proposition. Prior to this MGA, he built and managed the information security function at a global insurance company.