Norwich City recently welcomed Mr Qingfeng Feng (CEO, Group Lotus) and Matt Windle (Vice-President and Managing Director, Lotus Cars) to the Lotus Training Centre and Carrow Road.
The club's commercial director Sam Jeffery led the Lotus representatives on a tour of the grounds which was then followed by discussions on how the partnership can maximise its global impact and a reception at the stadium.
During the tour of the Lotus Training Centre, Mr Feng was greeted by head coach Dean Smith and senior players Tim Krul and Teemu Pukki who presented him with a signed shirt.
On the day, Windle commented: “Lotus has come a very long way in the last five years, through both the hard work of our people in Norfolk and from the invaluable support of our shareholders.
"We are a global brand with our roots firmly in Norfolk, which provides benefits to both the UK and our local community, and at all levels from regional investment to promoting and endorsing Norfolk as a great centre for business and industry.
"Our reaffirmed partnership with the Canaries ticks all the boxes for us to ‘Act Local, Achieve Global’ and we are all very excited about the future with the club and its achievements both on and off the pitch.”
Jeffery added: “I know I speak on behalf of us all at Norwich City when I say how privileged we felt to host Mr Feng at both our Lotus Training Centre and Carrow Road.
"This partnership is one that unlocks huge benefits – from knowledge-sharing on best practice and innovation through to global brand recognition and credibility – but one of the absolutely key pillars is that, like Lotus, Norwich City constantly strives to support our proud Norfolk community. We’re so proud to partner with Lotus, and long may this relationship continue to thrive.”
Joining an evening reception at Carrow Road were Richard Bacon, MP for South Norfolk and representatives from Norfolk County Council, South Norfolk Council, the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and the Eastern Powerhouse.
Lotus has four facilities in Norfolk, its global headquarters for sports car design, engineering and production at Hethel; its sub-assembly facility, Lotus Advanced Structures, and the new Lotus Learning Academy both at Hurricane Way, Norwich; and the Lotus Aftersales operation in Longwater, Norwich, all of which have benefitted from the company's £100 million pound investment in the region.