In a world of constant change some companies seem to be particularly adept at reinventing themselves.

Take the Coca-Cola set of companies. Under pressure from regulators over the sugar content of its main brand, they have diverted into a wide range of low-sugar Coke alternatives as well as other products to mitigate this challenge.

So successful has the approach been in recent years, that the PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors) analysis of Coca-Cola has become a business school classic.

Today we focus on the approach of Michael Clark, the GB CFO of Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), the world’s biggest bottler whose UK business is alone worth around £2bn a year.

CCEP works closely with Coca-Cola Company, a 19% owner of the group, to manage the constant changes that affect its operations.

Finance plays a key role in employing data to understand how those changes are taking place and supports strategic decision-making.

Clark sees finance as being close to operations, rather than outsider. That way it can help drive value- a crucial element in a changing world.