Co-founder and CEO of AAZZUR Philipp Buschmann shares his reflections and gives company leaders an insight into how corporate expense management can be elevated.

Philipp Buschmann (pictured), CEO of AAZZUR, a one-stop-shop for embedded finance, looks at ways for elevating corporate expense management. The editors are pleased to share these insights; the usual editorial disclaimers apply to views of guest writers. To comment, email tom.burroughes@wealthbriefing.com and amanda.cheesley@clearviewpublishing.com

Providing a bespoke, prestige, and precise service is the zero-sum game for a lot of wealth management firms. With digital-first solutions now the norm, offering personalised recommendations to clients has never been easier. While these firms pride themselves on this approach (as they should), some sticking points still exist, creating a spanner in the works for a seamless process. Expense reimbursements are that sticking point, preventing clients from a first-class experience and therefore leaving advisors scrambling for quick fixes. So, how do we root out this lingering issue? Well, it starts and ends with embedded finance. Embedded finance makes outdated processes a thing of the past and modern practices a permanent feature, ready to be enjoyed by everyone.

But the story doesn’t end there, here is how to take your firm from zero to hero in expense reimbursements and redefine exemplary service.

The problem with reimbursements 
Receipts are printed forms. [They] are filled in and finance teams are chasing emails. Weeks pass before money lands back in an advisor’s account. I’m getting a headache just thinking about it. It’s a disjointed exercise, especially for professionals working in fast-moving, client-facing roles. But this may be changing.

Across the UK and continental Europe, forward-thinking wealth management firms are rethinking the way they handle reimbursements, thanks to the rise of accessible embedded finance options. And while the term may mean nothing to you, its impact is anything but superficial.

Advisors in wealth management often incur costs as part of delivering personalised services. Client lunches, travel to investor meetings, private events, CPD courses, and digital tools for portfolio modelling all add up. These expenses are business-critical, yet the process to account for them is often clunky and bureaucratic, and untrained supervisors can quickly lose track.

It’s slow, convoluted, and costly as finance managers review each retroactive submission and input into the system or chase missing expenses for weeks. It sends the wrong message to clients and creates unnecessary stress. In an industry where talent retention, reputation, and speed matter, this is a missed opportunity.

Embedded finance: a shift beneath the surface
So, how do we solve these pain points? Embedded finance, in this case, is all about meeting advisors where they already are. Think CRMs, expense tools, client portals, the everyday platforms they live in. Instead of bolting on yet another system, it brings things like payments, reimbursements, and even corporate cards right into their existing workflow. No jumping between tools, no disruption, just seamless, smart integration that actually works with the way they do business.

St James’s Place saw the writing on the wall, manual expense claims were slowing advisors down and opening the door to compliance risks. So, they tore up the old process and rebuilt it with Soldo’s embedded finance platform at the core. Advisors were given prepaid Soldo cards with real-time policy controls, fully integrated into their existing financial systems. The results were clear, expense reconciliation time was cut by 75 per cent, policy breaches dropped, and advisor satisfaction went up. For the finance team, it meant live visibility, tighter oversight, and a smoother path to FCA compliance. More than just a process upgrade, this was a mindset shift, modernising operations to deliver on their promise of a seamless, digital-first experience for both staff and clients. This is the kind of result we want to see repeated across all businesses – when embedded finance is embraced by all, everybody wins.

Modern tools for a modern workforce
European advisors, particularly those from the rising generation of wealth professionals, expect more from their firms. They’ve grown up with digital banks, real-time payments, and mobile-first platforms. Embedded finance is a way of reflecting those expectations internally.

Evelyn Partners ditched the paperwork and went digital with SAP Concur, transforming the way expenses are handled across its advisory network. Manual processes had been slowing things down and creating compliance headaches. Now, advisors snap receipts, submit claims on the go, and get real-time approvals. The result? Faster processing, fewer errors, tighter oversight, and more time back for everyone. It’s a smart move that supports Evelyn’s bigger push towards scalable, digital-first operations.

This model also strengthens regulatory compliance. As many in the industry know, keeping up with complex rules means that firms need strong oversight. Embedded reimbursement tools make it easier to monitor advisor spending, with digital records and built-in policy enforcement that simplify audits and reduce risk.

Beyond efficiency: strategic advantages
What’s compelling about this shift isn’t just the time it saves, though that’s considerable, it’s the control and insight it offers.

In my view, embedded finance isn’t just a tech upgrade, it’s a mindset shift. When you give operations teams the ability to control spending in real time, track usage across teams, and actually see where the money is going, you stop flying blind. Suddenly, compliance isn’t a headache, it’s just part of how things run. Finance leaders aren’t chasing spreadsheets; they’re working with live data that helps them move faster and make better decisions.

And the real win? It frees up people to focus on what matters. Advisors can spend their time building relationships, not filing claims. You don’t need to scale your headcount just to scale your operations. And leadership gets a much clearer picture of what’s delivering real value – whether that’s a client event, a software tool, or a strategic training initiative. Embedded finance makes the invisible visible, and in a business environment that moves this fast, that’s a serious edge.

The road ahead
The shift is already happening, and firms that wait risk falling behind. Across Europe, forward-thinking players are embedding everything from client payments to lending and insurance into their platforms, fewer tools, less friction, more control. But if you are looking for a smart place to start, reimbursements make a strong case. They're universal, often frustrating, and yet relatively simple to fix, which means that the ROI shows up fast. Embedded finance isn’t just a trend; it’s a strategic lever to modernise from the inside out, delivering more control, greater efficiency, and momentum where it counts.

About the author
Philipp Buschmann is co-founder and CEO at AAZZUR, a one-stop-shop for an embedded finance experience. AAZZUR’s aim is to build profitable banking whilst at the same time empowering consumers to have access to better informed financial choices. Buschmann is a serial entrepreneur with experience of working in challenger banking, financial services, IT and energy across the world.