RIM has answered the call of many investors by appointing a single chief executive in a bid to more clearly steer the future direction of the firm.
Thorsten Heins is named as the Canadian vendor’s new chief executive and president, tasked with pulling the firm from a mire that saw net profit fall by half to $1.2 billion (€928 million) in the nine months to end-November.
Investors were increasingly frustrated by the fall in earnings, believing the dual-control management approach to be a hindrance in reacting quickly to growing competition in the high-end smartphone and tablet PC sectors.
Former co-chief Mike Lazaridis is named vice chair of the board, while his partner Jim Balsillie remains a director of the firm. Lazaridis says the time is right to “pass the baton to new leadership,” as the firm enters “a new phase” with new operating systems and devices.
Heins joined RIM from Siemens in 2007 and was most recently chief operating officer for product and sales at the firm.
One of the new chief’s first tasks will be to appoint a marketing boss with enough nous to tackle Apple, Samsung and Nokia, The Telegraph reports.