RIM founder Mike Lazaridis quits BlackBerry
The founder of Research In Motion (now BlackBerry) Mike Lazaridis has announced his decision to leave the company on May 1st.
Lazaridis stepped down from the chief executive position at RIM back in January 2012, but remained on the board as a Vice Chairman and Director.
Now, BlackBerry announced Lazaridis is leaving those positions as well.
The company has just launched its first BB10 based smartphone, the BlackBerry Z10, in the United States and announced sales of 1 million devices for the past quarter. It is also planning to boost marketing spending in the forthcoming quarter for the global launch of the overhauled BlackBerry 10. Expectations are for a breakeven next quarter.
source: BlackBerry (PDF)
The Company also announced that Mike Lazaridis, having fulfilled the commitment he made to the Board in January 2012, has decided to retire as Vice Chair and a Director of the Company. Lazaridis co-founded BlackBerry nearly 30 years ago and served as a co-CEO of the company until last year when he was elected Vice Chair of the Board. Lazaridis, who last week announced the launch of his new venture, Quantum Valley Investments, will step down from the BlackBerry Board effective May 1, 2013.
“We are grateful to Mike for his contributions to BlackBerry during the past three decades,” said Barbara Stymiest, Chairman of BlackBerry’s Board of Directors. “Mike invented the BlackBerry and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s greatest innovators. Mike played a pivotal role for the past 15 months in helping with the leadership transition and the successful launch of BlackBerry 10. We deeply respect and appreciate Mike’s desire to devote his full-time efforts to his exciting new venture, and we wish him all the best.”
“I admire Mike for his many achievements and for his vision in helping bring BlackBerry 10 to fruition,” said CEO Thorsten Heins. “On a personal level, I am grateful to Mike for his help, guidance and advice during my first 15 months as CEO of BlackBerry. I wish him all the best.”
“With the launch of BlackBerry 10, I believe I have fulfilled my commitment to the Board,” Lazaridis said. “Thorsten and his team did an excellent job in completing BlackBerry 10. We have a great deal of which to be proud. I believe I am leaving the company in good hands. I remain a huge fan of BlackBerry and, of course, wish the company and its people well.”
“With the launch of BlackBerry 10, I believe I have fulfilled my commitment to the Board,” Lazaridis said. “Thorsten and his team did an excellent job in completing BlackBerry 10. We have a great deal of which to be proud. I believe I am leaving the company in good hands. I remain a huge fan of BlackBerry and, of course, wish the company and its people well.”
The company has just launched its first BB10 based smartphone, the BlackBerry Z10, in the United States and announced sales of 1 million devices for the past quarter. It is also planning to boost marketing spending in the forthcoming quarter for the global launch of the overhauled BlackBerry 10. Expectations are for a breakeven next quarter.
Mike Lazaridis, a Greek Canadian, is an engineer at heart who tinkered with gadgets in his parents’ basement long before he co-founded Research In Motion. Still infatuated with technology, Lazaridis established a research fund focused on quantum research and aiming at no less but bringing a Star Trek-like tricorder to reality. He co-founded the fund with RIM co-founder and long-time friend Doug Fregin in the middle of 2012, and with less involvement in BlackBerry will likely be able to focus more fully on it. Good luck, Mr. Lazaridis!
The Company also announced that Mike Lazaridis, having fulfilled the commitment he made to the Board in January 2012, has decided to retire as Vice Chair and a Director of the Company. Lazaridis co-founded BlackBerry nearly 30 years ago and served as a co-CEO of the company until last year when he was elected Vice Chair of the Board. Lazaridis, who last week announced the launch of his new venture, Quantum Valley Investments, will step down from the BlackBerry Board effective May 1, 2013.
“We are grateful to Mike for his contributions to BlackBerry during the past three decades,” said Barbara Stymiest, Chairman of BlackBerry’s Board of Directors. “Mike invented the BlackBerry and is widely recognized as one of Canada’s greatest innovators. Mike played a pivotal role for the past 15 months in helping with the leadership transition and the successful launch of BlackBerry 10. We deeply respect and appreciate Mike’s desire to devote his full-time efforts to his exciting new venture, and we wish him all the best.”
“I admire Mike for his many achievements and for his vision in helping bring BlackBerry 10 to fruition,” said CEO Thorsten Heins. “On a personal level, I am grateful to Mike for his help, guidance and advice during my first 15 months as CEO of BlackBerry. I wish him all the best.”
“With the launch of BlackBerry 10, I believe I have fulfilled my commitment to the Board,” Lazaridis said. “Thorsten and his team did an excellent job in completing BlackBerry 10. We have a great deal of which to be proud. I believe I am leaving the company in good hands. I remain a huge fan of BlackBerry and, of course, wish the company and its people well.”
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