(Image source: Engadget )

 

BY LAURA JANVIER

 

Research in Motion has made two steps up. Effective Tuesday, RIM adds two executives to its team. Bloomberg reports on the details.

 

“I’m watching Research in Motion this morning, the company has some new faces in the C suite mainly a new Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer.”

 

Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins says Kristian Tear, who joins RIM from Sony Mobile Communications where he served as executive vice- president, will be the new COO and Frank Boulben, the former executive vice-president of strategy, marketing and sales for LightSquared, will serve as CMO.

 

According to the Wall Street Journal RIM is preparing for the launch of its next-generation BlackBerry. The two new executives have been hired to help bring the Blackberry back into the competition.

 

“RIM has struggled with shrinking market share in the lucrative North American smartphone market, as well as falling BlackBerry sales world-wide.... first priority is the successful launch of BlackBerry 10...”

 

BlackBerry 10 is the company’s newest operating system, and it’s expected to be released later this year. But CNet suggests the company might be a little too late in trying to make up lost ground.

 

"Its once popular BlackBerry devices are struggling to find customers in the wake of heavy competition.”

 

Beyond that — analysts at Canada’s BNN point out — Boulben’s previous company LightSquared was headed toward bankruptcy. For the panel — that begs the question: Is RIM attracting top talent?

 

“Are these two men emblematic? In particular Mr. Boulben who was clearly coming from a company that's failed. Is he the right person? He's also not as experienced in handsets.”

 

But Business Week reports newly-appointed Frank Boulben is staying optimistic about the future of Blackberry 10.    

 

“We all know how fast the mobile arena evolves and with the BlackBerry 10 platform, I believe RIM will once again change the way individuals and enterprises engage with each other and the world around them. I could not resist the opportunity to be part of that transformation.”