Key Blackberry execs depart
Blackberry last week announced the departure of three top executives as part of the company’s restructuring plan.
The embattled smartphone maker said CFO Brian Bidulka is departing after working with the company for eight years. Bidulka will be replaced by James Yersh, the company’s SVP of controller and head of compliance.
COO Kristian Tear and CMO Frank Boulben, who were hired under former CEO previous CEO Thorsten Heins, are also set to leave the company.
The news comes three weeks after Heins stepped down after a proposed $4.7 billion takeover deal with Fairfax Holdings fell through.
Blackberry then raised $1 billion in a convertible debt sale and brought in John Chen as executive chairman and interim CEO, in hopes the former Sybase CEO could help the company turnaround.
Chen, who took the reins at Blackberry on November 4, said “I will continue to align my senior management team and organizational structure, and refine the company’s strategy to ensure we deliver the best devices, mobile security and device management through BES 10, provide multi-platform messaging solutions with BBM, and expand adoption of QNX embedded systems.”
Meanwhile, BlackBerry also announced that Roger Martin, a board member since 2007, has resigned.