[birdman_38]

Is Thorsten Heins still the Chief Executive Officer of BlackBerry? Or has he resigned or been fired?

Reasons for the inquiry:

• He was nowhere to be found at the Z30 launch
• He hasn't said much about the Z30 since it was announced
• He was absent from BlackBerry Jam Asia
• He didn't announce any of the Fairfax developments
• He did not speak to quarterly earnings.
• He has not made any media appearances in a long time
• The last time we saw him publicly was Kevin's interview following the AGM. Kevin hasn't referenced him since.
• The CMO is speaking to the re-release of BBM X
• BlackBerry's reassurance letter is signed, "The BlackBerry Team". Usually a letter addressed directly to the public and their enterprise customers is signed by the CEO.

Until someone provides official proof that Thorsten Heins is still CEO of BlackBerry Ltd, I have my doubts.

[pkcable]

It's actually the opposite of this, while rumors abound, about his stepping down, there IS no real proof of this. YES he has been absent from things, and yes many feel he should be fired, but at this time according to actual corporate records he is still the CEO of BBRY.

[anon(5624621)]

He is definitely conspicuous in his absence.

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

It's been very fishy and the open letter wasn't signed by him

[birdman_38]

It's been very fishy and the open letter wasn't signed by him

Exactly. That's very telling.

"The BlackBerry Team" is super generic. It takes away from the credibility of the letter. You'd think at least Barbara Stymiest would have signed it.

[PapiPabs]

Looks like "For now" is the best answer...

[koebi90]

Signing with "The blackberry team" should strengthen the commitment and the team spirit.

If Mr Heins would have signed, you would have grumbled: "what an egoist!"

Posted on CB 10 and typed on the best Keyboard ever

[birdman_38]

If Mr Heins would have signed, you would have grumbled: "what an egoist!"

No I wouldn't have.

[Dave79]

He is...until November 4th when he'll cash in close to 60Milion$ fat bonus for successfully selling the company for peanuts and change.

[anon(5624621)]

Signing with "The blackberry team" should strengthen the commitment and the team spirit.

If Mr Heins would have signed, you would have grumbled: "what an egoist!"

Posted on CB 10 and typed on the best Keyboard ever

I disagree... this type of letter is pretty much always signed by the CEO. Could have had both TH & The BlackBerry Team, if they wanted team spirit.

[birdman_38]

He is...until November 4th when he'll cash in close to 60Milion$ fat bonus for successfully selling the company for peanuts and change.

That's assuming BBRY has a buyer with sufficient financial backing, and the new owners relieve him of his duties.

Perhaps he's been pushed out before any of that happens. Having to compensate a failing CEO over $55 million can't be an attractive component to any potential deal.

[scribacco]

Is Thorsten Heins still the Chief Executive Officer of BlackBerry? Or has he resigned or been fired?

Reasons for the inquiry:

• He was nowhere to be found at the Z30 launch
• He hasn't said much about the Z30 since it was announced
• He was absent from BlackBerry Jam Asia
• He didn't announce any of the Fairfax developments
• He did not speak to quarterly earnings.
• He has not made any media appearances in a long time
• The last time we saw him publicly was Kevin's interview following the AGM. Kevin hasn't referenced him since.
• The CMO is speaking to the re-release of BBM X
• BlackBerry's reassurance letter is signed, "The BlackBerry Team". Usually a letter addressed directly to the public and their enterprise customers is signed by the CEO.

Until someone provides official proof that Thorsten Heins is still CEO of BlackBerry Ltd, I have my doubts.

The position of CEO is not like a government official who is on the spotlight all the time..do you see other CEOs making public appearances? I do not, not even those that manage huge company like IBM, Cisco, Walmart, Apple, etc

[alan510]

I disagree... this type of letter is pretty much always signed by the CEO. Could have had both TH & The BlackBerry Team, if they wanted team spirit.

How to sign open letters is a common discussion in corporations. You generally see a CEO's signature when the company is taking responsibility for something - a disaster of some sort, for example - that affects the corporate reputation in an immediate way. In this case, BlackBerry is trying to garner support from its customers due to a precipitous decline in its new device sales. It wants to include the entire team because it has to involve its on the ground teams in the effort. So they need to take ownership of the message as well.

With regard to Heins not being in public. There's a sale process taking place. It's SOP for the current executive to take a lower profile during this period.

Posted via CB10

[birdman_38]

The position of CEO is not like a government official who is on the spotlight all the time..do you see other CEOs making public appearances? I do not, not even those that manage huge company like IBM, Cisco, Walmart, Apple, etc

I see what you're saying but other tech CEOs make public appearances, especially those with a need to move product, communicate with their user base and/or rebuild the company's public image.

[Dave79]

That's assuming BBRY has a buyer with sufficient financial backing, and the new owners relieve him of his duties.

Perhaps he's been pushed out before any of that happens. Having to compensate a failing CEO over $55 million can't be an attractive component to any potential deal.

That's assuming that his lawyer was such an incompetent that didnt insert the proper clause to prevent what you've described from happening.

[danprown]

He was, at least a week ago. If he is turfed or has resigned, BBRY has to file Form 8-K with the SEC within a certain amont of days, I belive 4.

He probably has received legal advice that since he has no experience negotiating what he can and cannot say (legally and otherwise) given the LOI, the strategic committe deliberations, the financial situation of Blackberry, and the market trends in genreal, it is best to keep out of sight lest he opines again he will sell tens of millions of something or other and just cold-call potential bidders or put out fires with existing customers from a secure, underground location, with rugs hung on the walls, and a Schmeisser by his side.

[BBThemes]

With regard to Heins not being in public. There's a sale process taking place. It's SOP for the current executive to take a lower profile during this period.

Posted via CB10

I think the contention arises out of the fact he has taken that `lower profile` (feel free to read non existent) since way before the LOI from Fairfax was announced.

[Dave79]

The position of CEO is not like a government official who is on the spotlight all the time..do you see other CEOs making public appearances? I do not, not even those that manage huge company like IBM, Cisco, Walmart, Apple, etc

When Apple screwed it up with the maps the CEO signed the apology letter.

[Bold_until_Hybrid_Comes]

The position of CEO is not like a government official who is on the spotlight all the time..do you see other CEOs making public appearances? I do not, not even those that manage huge company like IBM, Cisco, Walmart, Apple, etc

You usually at least see them at a product launch (z30) or hear from them when an offer is made to buy the company...

Crackberry hasn't really called them out for this either.

[birdman_38]

You usually at least see them at a product launch (z30) or hear from them when an offer is made to buy the company...

Crackberry hasn't really called them out for this either.

Maybe Kevin knows something we don't.

[birdman_38]

If he is turfed or has resigned, BBRY has to file Form 8-K with the SEC within a certain amount of days, I believe 4.

Thank you for pointing that out.

[STV0726]

I'm dying for some hard news on this.

-STV on Z10STL100-3/10.1.0.4780 TMO US

[OMGitworks]

The position of CEO is not like a government official who is on the spotlight all the time..do you see other CEOs making public appearances? I do not, not even those that manage huge company like IBM, Cisco, Walmart, Apple, etc

When company's are under siege, you expect to see and hear from the CEO defending the brand. Being quiet about the specifics of a potential buy out, I get that, but not appearing at product launches and events, cancelling the conference call, not doing or saying anything about the aborted xBBM launch, all are things a leader would expected to lead on. If he is still the CEO of BBRY (public or private) on 2/1/2014, I will be shocked.

Who is Barbara Stymiest? I read her bio, but her lack of doing a single positive thing and presiding over the sinking of BBRY is mind boggling to me. For being called one of the most powerful business women in the world she sure seems content to sit by as it all goes down. Please don't reply by telling me all the great things she did, I read them, it's impressive. What I want to know is what she has done for BBRY, I am hard pressed to find anything. I am sure TH is thanking her for that golden parachute.

[jdcfinisher]

He's working hard behind the scenes making sure the stock drops as much as possible and stays down so he gets the biggest possible bonus from the take over buyer .

Posted via Z10

[danprown]

token white female, Toronto establishment. I think she got the chairmanship when Mike L and Jim B got caught stealing $250 MM form the shareholders, and needed some window dressing.

When company's are under siege, you expect to see and hear from the CEO defending the brand. Being quiet about the specifics of a potential buy out, I get that, but not appearing at product launches and events, cancelling the conference call, not doing or saying anything about the aborted xBBM launch, all are things a leader would expected to lead on. If he is still the CEO of BBRY (public or private) on 2/1/2014, I will be shocked.

Who is Barbara Stymiest? I read her bio, but her lack of doing a single positive thing and presiding over the sinking of BBRY is mind boggling to me. For being called one of the most powerful business women in the world she sure seems content to sit by as it all goes down. Please don't reply by telling me all the great things she did, I read them, it's impressive. What I want to know is what she has done for BBRY, I am hard pressed to find anything. I am sure TH is thanking her for that golden parachute.