Thorsten Heins' first 100 days: A retrospective view

**W Hoa** · 05-24-2012, 05:35 PM

From becoming CEO in January through to today a very long and thorough look at Thorsten Heins and Blackberry.

'In the next 100 days [from January 22], Heins will have the toughest job in corporate Canada, if not the world. While it may be unfair to analyze the reign of a CEO based on a single fiscal quarter—after all, much of what Heins is shovelling through now is the managerial detritus of the previous administration—it’s also the case that RIM may not have much time.'

Thorsten Heins' no good, very bad first 100 days as RIM's CEO - The Globe and Mail

**playbookster** · 05-24-2012, 05:55 PM

Wow.. What exactly could Heins have done in 3 months to make them write a positive article? Its not like he is stepping into a flourishing company that is at the top of the world (tim cook), he is tasked with changing the media's perception and turning an entire business around. They write him off after 3 months? I love everything Heins has done so far and it is no easy job.

**papped** · 05-24-2012, 05:57 PM

Think he did a better job and changed more in such a short time than most anyone was expecting...

**playbookster** · 05-24-2012, 05:59 PM

Originally Posted by papped

Think he did a better job and changed more in such a short time than most anyone was expecting...

Yeah.. I was expecting "more of the same blah blah we don't need to change anything, everyone loves us blah blah" kinda stuff we were getting from Balsillie and Lazaridis. But Heins has a whole different attitude and approach to running this company. But we won't know if he is successful until a year or so from now when BB10 is in the market and selling.

**anthogag** · 05-24-2012, 06:36 PM

I think it's a weird title for the article..."very bad first 100 days"

While the media and investors breath down his neck he does a commendable job. From what I've seen and read RIM has focus and the talent to succeed

**morlock_man** · 05-24-2012, 06:38 PM

I'd rather someone like Heins be running the whole damned country instead of crooks like Harper.

At least Heins seems honest, clearsighted and intelligent.

(As opposed to sneaky, underhanded and corrupt.)

**SnoozerBold** · 05-24-2012, 06:50 PM

I predict a level headed intelligent thread ahead of us.

Seriously though, given the situation he walked into I think he's done a decent job with what he has to work with. What else could he do? Scrap bb10? Push the release date up? Not viable options I'd say. It's hard to change a multi billion dollar company in 100 days I wouldn't write him off yet.

Also.....

**greatwiseone** · 05-24-2012, 07:01 PM

That title's a bit misleading...

**ayekon** · 05-24-2012, 07:05 PM

More propaganda to delete from my browser history...

The guy is doing fantastic with what he started with...

Screw that article

**madman0141** · 05-24-2012, 07:10 PM

Using the judgment of this article we would have a new CEO every 30-90 days and wonder why a company doesn't do well. I don't think Heins is the second coming but RIM has some serious issues and what did anyone expect in a hundred days.

**Maxey05** · 05-24-2012, 07:14 PM

I think Thorsten has done a nice job so far. He has already improved the platfrom and is coming out with something totally new! It has only been a couple months since he was appointed the position and he has only improved RIM and BlackBerry. It took like 15 years to build this company the way it is. Give him more time. I believe RIM is just fine in his hands...

**Plazmic Flame** · 05-24-2012, 07:29 PM

Thor has been laying down the hammer. He's done a lot in his short time, we'll see the results when BB10 launches. I say give him until then at least.

**palomartian** · 05-24-2012, 07:31 PM

His job was to fundamentally shift the market's expectations thus increasing the share price and enhancing the wealth of his employers. Unfortunately for all parties, his employers continue to display alarming judgement, notably hiring an inside guy to make a sea change. RIM is ensured a spot in B school curricula if nowhere else.

**dbmalloy** · 05-24-2012, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by morlock_man

I'd rather someone like Heins be running the whole damned country instead of crooks like Harper.

At least Heins seems honest, clearsighted and intelligent.

(As opposed to sneaky, underhanded and corrupt.)

Really???? It is additudes and posts like the above that shows why RIM is in trouble... Any onsided view about anything is what has RIM in the trouble it is in... The poster obviously does not like Mr. Harper and in the Posters eyes Mr. Harper wil NEVER, EVER be able to do anything right... Well gee guess what .... Exactly what they are saying about RIM.... Enough people say something whether right or wrong long enough it does not matter whether it is true any more....

Very sad.....

**ALToronto** · 05-24-2012, 08:08 PM

What I found really upsetting in the article was that the author had more access to Heins than any other journalist, and he ended up stabbing him in the back like this. All in the name of sensationalism, I guess.

**morlock_man** · 05-24-2012, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by dbmalloy

Really???? It is additudes and posts like the above that shows why RIM is in trouble... Any onsided view about anything is what has RIM in the trouble it is in... The poster obviously does not like Mr. Harper and in the Posters eyes Mr. Harper wil NEVER, EVER be able to do anything right... Well gee guess what .... Exactly what they are saying about RIM.... Enough people say something whether right or wrong long enough it does not matter whether it is true any more....

Very sad.....

Heins was appointed because he's smart and intelligent and recognizes the value that the BB10 platform represents for RIM. He was handed a plate of manure and he's busy trying to pressure cook it into diamonds.

Harper's government got into power through campaign overspending and robocalls. He's power hungry. He hands everyone else a plate of manure and says "Here, eat up."

**D_March** · 05-24-2012, 08:13 PM

Originally Posted by palomartian

His job was to fundamentally shift the market's expectations thus increasing the share price and enhancing the wealth of his employers. Unfortunately for all parties, his employers continue to display alarming judgement, notably hiring an inside guy to make a sea change. RIM is ensured a spot in B school curricula if nowhere else.

That's funny. Anyone judging the first 100 in this scenario is paid to do so...in my opinion.

**Phil DeLong** · 05-24-2012, 08:14 PM

Heins should have launched BB10 the day after he became CEO! We must storm his tower!

But really, can we not give the guy a little longer before judging him?

**BB_makes_it_happen** · 05-24-2012, 08:49 PM

At the end of the day let's give the Mr Heins some space to do his job.

Unfortunately it is easier to be critical than to be constructive.

Let's stop focusing on every foot step and concentrate on the journey.

We all have our wants and desires from our hardware. Let's work together as consumers and provide positive feedback so we get something which benefits all.

**kevinnugent** · 05-24-2012, 08:55 PM

I don't see the connection between the heading and the actual article. The article itself, I thought, was a good representation of what's happened. The heading, I guess, was just to grab reader's attention.

**the_sleuth** · 05-24-2012, 08:55 PM

Lazy & Silly, Brothers RIM, or Pinky & the Brain, whatever you call them?! These two handed Heins a difficult environment:
1) No ecosystem
2) Let's delay BBOS 10 by 10 to 12 months
3) No new products that N. American consumers demand, more of the same, i.e. 9790
4) Surprise: horrible quarterly results and yes two more quarters like this before BBOS 10 launches

I applaud Heins level-headed, resolve and laser focus on RIM's Herculean Task of launching BBOS 10 in the most competitive industry in tech right now. He's Gandalf in the storm.

**playbookster** · 05-24-2012, 09:31 PM

Originally Posted by the_sleuth

Lazy & Silly, Brothers RIM, or Pinky & the Brain, whatever you call them?! These two handed Heins a difficult environment:
1) No ecosystem
2) Let's delay BBOS 10 by 10 to 12 months
3) No new products that N. American consumers demand, more of the same, i.e. 9790
4) Surprise: horrible quarterly results and yes two more quarters like this before BBOS 10 launches

I applaud Heins level-headed, resolve and laser focus on RIM's Herculean Task of launching BBOS 10 in the most competitive industry in tech right now. He's Gandalf in the storm.

Right now he is Gandalf the Grey, next year he will be Gandalf the White.

**jakie55** · 05-24-2012, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by kevinnugent

I don't see the connection between the heading and the actual article. The article itself, I thought, was a good representation of what's happened. The heading, I guess, was just to grab reader's attention.

Just remember, there are headline editors and article writers....not the same person. Headlines sell papers...news is just that....news. Heins has done a good job...Remember Steve Jobs himself had a mess to clean up when he came back from exile. It wasnt all a bed of roses. They wouldnt be around if it wasnt for Microsoft and their need to divest themselves to divert the anti trust people.

Everything is cyclic. Lets give BB a year...with a BB 10 launch, before we crucify the guy.

**Shlooky** · 05-24-2012, 10:11 PM

What has Thorsten done in 3 months?

**BB10FTW** · 05-24-2012, 10:26 PM

Thorsten has done nothing, not a damn thing........he hasn't cleaned house and brought in new talent, he hasn't been straightforward, honest and real with everybody, he hasn't given the faithful Blackberry followers new hope and a brighter future. Nope I haven't seen any change...........Oh by the way he is also a very short man on stilts......