Coca-Cola HBC’s Sam Fletcher: Turning Data Into Strategy

At Coca-Cola HBC, talent intelligence is evolving into a strategic capability that helps the business make smarter, more informed workforce decisions. As Head of Research and Talent Intelligence, Sam Fletcher is leading this transformation by combining external labour market intelligence with internal business data to provide proactive insights that support hiring, workforce planning and long-term business strategy. Rather than simply responding to talent challenges, the function enables leaders to anticipate market shifts, benchmark against competitors and align talent decisions with organisational priorities. In this interview, Sam explores why talent intelligence has become mission-critical, how dedicated capabilities are elevating HR from a reactive to an advisory function, and why connecting data across the business is essential for building a sustainable competitive advantage. Sharing practical examples from Coca-Cola HBC's journey, he explains how organisations can unlock greater value from talent data and lay the foundations for more strategic, data-driven decision-making.