Former SAP executive John Sims to head BlackBerry's key business segment

By VCPOST Staff Reporter

Dec 18, 2013 05:56 AM EST

Ontario-based BlackBerry Ltd. said on Tuesday that John Sims will join the company as head of its global enterprise services business. The said unit is a key segment that is likely to be at the core of the smartphone maker's turnaround plan.

According to Reuters, BlackBerry said Sims will join the company in January from German software giant SAP AG. Sims served as president of SAP's mobile services business.

BlackBerry chief executive John Chen said that Sims' extensive experience in transforming businesses will be a tremendous asset as the company seeks to revive its faded fortunes, the report stated.

BlackBerry pioneered the concept of on-the-go email, making it a must-have device for political and business leaders. But it has bled market share to Apple Inc.'s iPhone and a slew of smartphones running on Google's Android software, Reuters said.

BlackBerry's new line of smartphones running on its all-new BlackBerry 10 operatong system have failed to regain market share. This has prompted the troubled smartphone maker to consider selling all or a part of itself, the report said.

Last month, BlackBerry shelved the sales process and opted to refinance by issuing $1 billion in debt to long-term investors, wrote Reuters.

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