RIM's new chief operating officer Kristian Tear (left) and new chief marketing officer Frank Boulben
BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) has hired Kristian Tear as chief operating officer and Frank Boulben as chief marketing officer as it focuses on expanding its global customer base and prepares for the launch of its new BlackBerry 10 platform.
“Kristian and Frank bring extensive knowledge of the rapidly changing wireless global market and will help RIM as we sharpen our focus on delivering long-term value to our stakeholders,” said Thorsten Heins, RIM’s president and CEO.
“Most importantly, both Kristian and Frank possess a keen understanding of the emerging trends in mobile communications and computing.”
Tear joins RIM from Sony Mobile Communications, where he served as executive vice-president. He previously held various operational leadership positions with Ericsson in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
In his new role at RIM, Tear will oversee all operational functions for handhelds and services, including research and development, products, global sales, manufacturing and supply chain.
Boulben is the former executive vice-president of Strategy, Marketing and Sales for LightSquared. He joined LightSquared after serving as global director of Commercial Strategy for Vodafone Group and executive vice-president of Brand and Consumer Marketing for Orange Group.
In his new position at RIM, Boulben will oversee global marketing efforts.
