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The Board of Directors of BlackBerry manufacturer Research In Motion (RIM) today announced Thorsten Heins as its new president and CEO, replacing Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.  Mike Lazaridis has now become Vice Chair of RIM’s Board and Chair of the Board’s new Innovation Committee. Jim Balsillie also remains a member of the board.  Barbara Stymiest, who formerly served as a member of Royal Bank of Canada’s Group Executive and has been a member of RIM’s Board since 2007, has been named the independent Board Chair.  Heins joined RIM from Siemens Communications Group in December 2007 as Senior Vice President for Hardware Engineering and became Chief Operating Officer for Product and Sales in August 2011.

As Vice Chair, Lazaridis will work closely with Heins to offer strategic counsel. Speaking after the announcement, Lazaridis said “There comes a time in the growth of every successful company when the founders recognize the need to pass the baton to new leadership.” Balsillie agreed. “I agree this is the right time to pass the baton to new leadership, and I have complete confidence in Thorsten, the management team and the company,” said he.

Lazaridis further added, “Thorsten has demonstrated throughout his tenure at RIM that he has the right mix of leadership, relevant industry experience and skills to take the company forward.  We have been impressed with his operational skills at both RIM and Siemens.  I am so confident in RIM’s future that I intend to purchase an additional $50 million of the company’s shares, as permitted, in the open market.”

On his appointment as a new CEO of RIM, Heins said he believes that RIM has tremendous potential.  “It is Mike and Jim’s continued unwillingness to sacrifice long-term value for short-term gain which has made RIM the great company that it is today,” he said.  “I share that philosophy and am very excited about the company’s future.”

He further added, “As with any company that has grown as fast as we have, there have been inevitable growing pains. We have learned from those challenges and, I believe, we have and will become a stronger company as a result.”