RIM scoops Sony Mobile exec for COO

BlackBerry maker Research In Motion has announced the appointment of key personnel to its executive leadership team, with Kristian Tear taking up the position of Chief Operating Officer and Frank Boulben being appointed as Chief Marketing Officer.

“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 Chief Executive Officer.

“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 a variety of operational leadership positions with Ericsson in Europe, Asia and Latin America. At RIM, Tear will serve as Chief Operating Officer overseeing all operational functions for handhelds and services, including research and development, products, global sales, manufacturing and supply chain.

Tear added that he is very excited to be taking up the position. “RIM is an important player in the mobile industry and I am excited to be a part of its future. I look forward to working with the talented RIM employees and harnessing their ingenuity and creativity for the benefit of more than 77 million BlackBerry users around the world.  I also look forward to helping RIM attract a brand new generation of BlackBerry users,” he said.

Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor