The CFO and CEO: key allies in value creation Through this joint commitment, CEOs and CFOs can develop a partnership “ In the relationship between CFO and CEO, there’ll to respond to the technological, economic and competitive forces that always be situations where individuals might have continually threaten to disrupt organizations today. different preferences or might see things differently The Coca-Cola Company: trust underpins a successful from a risk-return perspective. This provides good collaboration input to an inspiring dialogue focused on long-term Kathy Waller, EVP and CFO at The Coca-Cola Company, believes that value creation. There is however one fundamental total trust between the CFO and CEO is essential, not just for a productive thing that’s critical: there must be a corporate partnership, but because it sends the right message to the market. culture where you share the same values. You “The relationship must be one of mutual respect and trust,” she might have a difference of opinion on less important explains. “Six months into this role, the CEO and I went on a road show, across five cities in five days seeing over a hundred people. It was topics, but there should be full alignment between grueling, but it shows the kind of trust you need in each other because the CFO and CEO on the values of the company and my job was to talk about the financials but to also pick up the baton the implications from realizing business success. If when he needed me to. The investors are watching you for differences, whether in body language or any signal of any kind. He and I had to be there’s a difference in values, it’s impossible to act in sync, otherwise we could have been signaling some level of discord, effectively as a board.” which absolutely wasn’t the case. We support and trust each other and when it comes to the business, we are and should be able to finish each Jack de Kreij, Vice Chairman of the Executive Board and Chief other’s sentences.” Financial Officer, Royal Vopak Partnering for performance Part 5: the CFO and the chief executive officer 9