RIM's twin CEOs step down

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 24 January 2012 06:10

IT Industry - Strategy

The co-CEOs of embattled BlackBerry maker Research in Motion have stood down in favour of COO Thorsten Heins with the company saying it was "acting on the recommendation of its co-chief executive officers to implement the succession plan they previously submitted to the board."

Heins, who is now CEO and president, was COO for product and sales. He joined the company in 2007 from Siemens Communications Group as senior vice president for hardware engineering.

RIM has posted videos of Heins airing his views on "RIM's strengths, the next five years, growth and enthusiasm, Playbook 2.0, the best people, motivation and his proudest moment" on its official blog, http://blogs.blackberry.com.

Lazaridis, RIM's founder, former co-chair and co-CEO, has become vice chair and chair of the board's new Innovation Committee. He "will work closely with Mr Heins to offer strategic counsel, provide a smooth transition and continue to promote the BlackBerry brand worldwide," the company said. Jim Balsillie - who joined RIM in 1992, six years after its formation - remains a director and shareholder but has no executive role.

Seeking to put a positive spin on RIM's recent woes, Lazaridis said: "There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognise the need to pass the baton to new leadership. Jim and I went to the board and told them that we thought that time was now.

"With BlackBerry 7 now out, PlayBook 2.0 shipping in February and BlackBerry 10 expected to ship later this year, the company is entering a new phase, and we felt it was time for a new leader to take it through that phase and beyond. Jim, the board and I all agreed that leader should be Thorsten Heins."