RIM Makes New Chief Operating Officer And Chief Marketing Officer Official

Research in Motion (RIM) just announced two new hires to its executive leadership team, employing Kristian Tear as COO and Frank Boulben as CMO. This move is apart of new RIM boss Thorsten Heins’ massive restructuring of the company to get rid of some of the “fat on the hip,” as he called it. These hires are also apart of Heins’ operation ‘laser focus’.

Who is Kristian Tear and Frank Boulben, you ask? Well, Tear comes to RIM from Sony Mobile, where he most recently worked as executive VP, while Boulben is a former executive VP at the financially challenged company, LightSquared.

In the BlackBerry makers press release announcing the hires, RIM CEO Thorsten Heins said that “Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as we sharpen our focus on delivering long-term value to our stakeholders.”

These hires should come as no surprise, as Heins before mentioned his interest in searching for a new COO and CMO soon. The problem with these hires is Heins believes Tear and Boulben “possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.” This is highly debatable.

Lets put these hires in better perspective. One man is from Sony Mobile, a manufacturing company that’s made virtually no noise in the mobile technology business, and the other guy is from a company on the brink of extinction, LightSquared. These two are going to bring RIM back to prominence?

RIM Announces Organization Changes Within BlackBerry

As RIM rolls out Q4 2012 financial earnings, they've also gone ahead an announced some recent changes within the organization and ultimately their Board of Directors:

"As I complete my retirement from RIM, I'm grateful for this remarkable experience and for the opportunity to have worked with outstanding professionals who helped turn a Canadian idea into a global success," said Jim Balsillie.

"On behalf of the Board and everyone at RIM, I would like to thank Jim for his 20 years of service to RIM," said Barb Stymiest, Chair of RIM's Board of Directors. "His energy, drive and enthusiasm helped build one of the most successful technology companies of our time."

In addition, David Yach will be retiring from his role as CTO, Software after 13 years with the Company and after 4 years with the company and following an open dialogue on the future of global operations, Jim Rowan, COO, Global Operations, has decided to pursue other interests. The Company is currently undertaking a search to hire a single COO with responsibilities to run the Company's operations.

"RIM would like to thank David Yach and Jim Rowan for their years of service and many contributions to RIM," said Thorsten Heins, President and CEO. "We wish them well in their future pursuits."