Simon Gilbert is the founder and CEO of Elmore Brokers, a London based specialty insurance broker focused on cyber, fintech, and emerging financial-services risk. His work sits at the intersection of technology and risk transfer, where regulated financial institutions, fintech firms, and an increasing number of Web3 businesses seek insurance and advisory support for complex operational threats.
Overview
Gilbert founded Elmore in 2015 with an initial emphasis on cyber insurance and professional indemnity coverage for fintech companies. As CEO, he leads the firm’s strategy, client relationships, and product development, with a focus on adapting traditional commercial insurance lines to newer business models, including payments, embedded finance, and digital-asset related operations.
- Founder and CEO of Elmore Brokers (founded 2015).
- Specialist focus in cyber, fintech risk, and professional indemnity for technology-driven firms.
- Leadership spanning client advisory, broker market relationships, and product innovation.
History and Background
Gilbert’s career has centered on specialty insurance solutions for technology and financial services. He is associated with the London Market and international placements, where brokers often coordinate coverage across multiple carriers and jurisdictions. This background informs Elmore’s positioning as a broker that supports companies as they scale from early-stage operations into regulated, cross-border businesses.
In practice, this type of role typically requires a mix of technical understanding of cyber and operational controls, familiarity with professional liability frameworks, and the ability to translate evolving threats into underwriting language. These capabilities are especially relevant for fintech and Web3 firms that may face both high-frequency operational incidents and rapidly changing regulatory expectations.
Founding Elmore Brokers
Elmore was established in 2015 and initially targeted cyber insurance and professional indemnity, two lines that have become increasingly material for software-driven financial services. Under Gilbert’s leadership, the firm expanded its client base across fintech, financial services, and technology, and later reported growth into broader categories such as directors and officers coverage, crime, and other specialty placements that can be relevant for payments and custody operations.
Elmore has also highlighted international expansion, including a presence in Lisbon, reflecting a common broker strategy of supporting European clients across multiple regulatory regimes and insurance markets. In 2021, Elmore reported that it was granted a Lloyd’s broking license, which can increase a broker’s ability to access specialty capacity in the Lloyd’s market and broaden placement options for complex risks.
Core Areas of Expertise
Gilbert is most closely associated with risk categories that have direct relevance to crypto and Web3 businesses, particularly when those businesses resemble financial institutions in their operational footprint. The most common risk areas include coverage for third-party liability, cyber incidents, and errors in professional services.
- Cyber insurance: Coverage considerations often include incident response costs, business interruption, data security events, ransomware scenarios, and related liabilities.
- Professional indemnity: Frequently used by firms providing financial, technical, or advisory services, where an alleged error can result in client financial loss.
- Management and crime lines: Directors and officers coverage and crime-related protection can be relevant where governance and internal controls are scrutinized.
Relevance to Web3 and Digital Asset Firms
As more Elmore clients operate in the Web3 space, Gilbert’s work increasingly touches issues such as custody-related security controls, third-party service dependencies, and the operational complexity of multi-entity corporate structures. Digital asset firms may also face unique exposures tied to wallet management, key custody, smart contract interactions, and the use of external infrastructure providers.
Insurance for Web3 companies can be difficult to structure because loss scenarios may blend technology failures, security breaches, and financial misconduct allegations. In this context, a broker’s role is often to help firms document controls, articulate risk boundaries, and align coverage wording with how the business actually operates, including how assets are held, transferred, and safeguarded.
Notable Milestones
- 2015: Elmore founded with an initial focus on cyber insurance and professional indemnity for fintech businesses.
- 2021: Elmore reported receiving a Lloyd’s broking license; the company has also referenced recognition for international trade during this period.
- Ongoing: Expansion of client coverage needs across fintech, payments, embedded finance, and a growing cohort of Web3 related businesses.
Risks and Considerations
Insurance broking operates within regulated frameworks, and coverage outcomes depend on underwriting appetite, disclosed controls, and policy wording. For fintech and Web3 firms, material considerations often include the maturity of security programs, the strength of governance and segregation of duties, third-party vendor risk, and incident response readiness.
Insurance also does not eliminate operational risk. Policies may include exclusions, sublimits, and conditions that affect claims, particularly for complex events involving fraud, sanctions, or disputed asset ownership. As a result, broker-led programs are typically most effective when paired with strong internal controls, independent security testing, and clear customer and counterparty disclosures.
