Research In Motion CEOs Resign

Dec 19 2017, 1:21 pm

Viva La Revolución. Good news Sunday as RIM’s co-CEOs have finally stepped down, leaving opportunity open for everyone.

Whether you’re rooting for Canadian tech industry or you’re cheering for the growth of Vancouver’s own tech community, this tremendous leadership change is going to open a lot of doors for many people. The Blackberry ship has been slowly sinking in what I’d like to describe as a “slow-moving freight train accident”.

The new captain is Thorsten Heins, previous Chief Operating Officer of Product and Sales. Heins has been with Blackberry since 2007 and slowly rose up since managing the worldwide handset operation. Steve Jobs might call him a “product guy”, although we haven’t seen much product improvement lately.

However, the news of the RIM leadership change is a great opportunity for Vancouver’s own growth. The effects are both direct and indirect. One of the biggest issues holding back local investors from putting money into Vancouver’s companies has been a dwindling tech industry in Canada. Investor confidence has been aimed directly at Silicon Valley, and big pockets are hesitant to invest locally. With a leadership change, the bad news for RIM will go away for now as we usher in a honeymoon period for Heins.

The immediate opportunity is that Vancouver now has a wide-open chance to grow its own giant locally. With Eastern Canada distractions now mitigated, Vancouver must go full throttle and grow its tech ecosystem quickly. And stop selling our local companies like Summify.

Arm the ship, raise the flag, and set sail. Photo credit Morris Lamont/QMI.

 

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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