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Ben Kensell unveils his commercial vision for Carrow Road
Norwich City's new chief operating officer Ben Kensell was brought to the club by David McNally Picture: Anthony Kelly - Credit: copyright ARCHANT 2017
Norwich City's new chief operating officer Ben Kensell insists the Canaries are ready for lift-off.
Kensell will now head up the commercial side, following former managing director Steve Stone's exit, as part of a revamped structure alongside sporting director Stuart Webber and business and project director Zoe Ward.
Daniel Farke's young squad is on the fringes of the Championship play-off mix and Kensell insists the club is also gearing up off the pitch to target the Premier League.
Kensell revealed on Wednesday part of his commercial vision is turn Carrow Road into an all-year round venue, attracting more big acts to Norfolk like pop icons Take That, who will return next summer.
'The idea is we become a venue that doesn't just open 25 times a year for football,' he said. 'The idea is it needs to be open all the time, whether it is conferencing and banqueting or for events outside the traditional foot print of the pitch.
'That is how we generate more revenue and concerts are a massive area for us. We do them well and we can do them better in the future.
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'There are other events we are looking at doing and we hope to be in a position to announce them soon. That is part of the key strategy that has been in the pipeline for at least 12 months, since I brought Take That to the city the last time.
'The positivity is there amongst all the staff. They are incredibly proud to work for the football club, as you would be, but actually it feels we are pulling in one right direction. What I would say is there is always more work to be done. It is part of our jobs to create that united culture, that might add 10pc to get us over the line to where we want to be.
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'Sometimes it is just that energy and that passion and drive to move things forward. That is what myself, Stuart and Zoe are trying to deliver now under the board's supervision and guidance.'
Former City figurehead David McNally recruited both Ward and Kensell and took to social media last week to endorse Kensell's internal promotion, after originally head-hunting him from Charlton.
'David asked me to come to Norwich, and quite frankly I had a young family at the time and we felt what better place to come than Norfolk. We were proved right,' he said. 'A fantastic club. David showed me his vision and how he wanted the club to be represented commercially and I think we have delivered on that. We put together a three year programme when I first arrived and we met that.
'I think the club is in a good position, commercially, but it can always do better.'