The two ceos of RIM, including founder Mike Lazaridis, waving it off. The current chief operating officer , take their duties over. Both executives remain still a member of the board of directors. RIM has been some time in heavy weather.
Research In Motion announced the changing of the guard Sunday night Canadian time. Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, who, together with the role of chief executive officer as missionaries, to be replaced by Thorsten Heins, who since december 2007, when RIM works, and since last August, chief operating officer. Lazaridis stated in a comment that he and his fellow Balsillie on own initiative have decided to withdraw, because it was time for a fresh wind in the top of the company.
The fresh wind can indeed come up with Heins at the wheel: so is he according to Wired ‘open’ for the licensing of the new BlackBerry operating system to other manufacturers; something that RIM is always against opposition.
Lazaridis, one of the two founders of RIM, remains a member of the board of directors and is appointed vice-chairman. Balsillie will also remain a member of the board of directors. The BlackBerry manufacturer was for some time under pressure from shareholders, who complained about the disappointing results of the company. At the peak, in June 2008, took a share of RIM on the stock exchange 147,55 dollar; the closing price of last Friday was $ 17.
The shareholders were also unhappy with the role of Lazaridis and Balsillie as ceo. Lazaridis and Balsillie, waved two decades, the scepter of Research In Motion, the BlackBerry quickly in popularity saw rise. The last two to three years, however, it is less with the company, due to the popularity of Android smartphones and the iPhone quickly grew.