Neo Tangent Joins HSBC, Mastercard and HELIOS to Discuss Smarter Spend Management
6 Nov 2026
Combining specialist technology with hands-on finance expertise to simplify spend processes, strengthen controls and improve the employee experience.
Edinburgh Room, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong | 15 October 2026
Smart Corporate Spend Management, hosted by HSBC, Mastercard and HELIOS
At the Smart Corporate Spend Management event in Hong Kong on 15 October 2026, Eric Lee, who leads Neo Tangent globally, shared an operations-led view of finance transformation alongside banking and technology panellists.
Why non-trade spend deserves attention
Courier invoices, marketing expenses, travel and employee claims frequently sit outside standard purchase-order workflows. The extra checks and handoffs can add cost, delay and inconsistency to everyday finance work.
Describing the earlier process at one multinational client, Eric noted that non-trade payments involved around 6,000 transactions per month. At an estimated 10–15 minutes of handling per transaction, this represented approximately 1,000–1,500 hours of processing effort each month. The cost was not only processing time: unclear requirements also created avoidable follow-ups and frustration for employees, approvers and finance teams.
Partnership in action: Neo Tangent + HELIOS
Neo Tangent works with HELIOS as a technology partner to develop more connected travel, expense and approval workflows. HELIOS contributes specialised platform capabilities, while Neo Tangent brings practical Finance & Accounting expertise—from identifying bottlenecks and redesigning processes to managing day-to-day delivery and continuous improvement.
Following an evaluation that began in 2025, Neo Tangent rolled out HELIOS with one client in the first half of 2026 to support more connected spend and expense workflows. The approach was designed to make routine, in-policy processing more efficient while directing exceptions and higher-risk cases to human review. The objective was not simply faster processing, but stronger compliance, clearer governance and a better user experience.
“We wanted an end-to-end workflow that didn’t just reduce processing time, but improved compliance, governance and the overall user experience.”
Eric Lee, Neo Tangent
Technology supported by dependable services
The panel also explored how payment innovations, including virtual cards and embedded controls, can complement spend-management processes. For businesses, the right approach depends on how these tools fit existing policies, systems and governance needs.
For Neo Tangent, technology is only part of the solution. By combining specialist tools such as HELIOS with accountable managed services, practical controls and ongoing process improvement, Neo Tangent helps clients reduce repetitive work, maintain oversight and adapt operations as business needs evolve.