RIM needs an image overhaul—but is Thorsten Heins the man for the job?

RIM needs an image overhaul—but is Thorsten Heins the man for the job?

Although freshly minted Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins thinks “no drastic change” is needed to fix the Canadian tech giant, he’s laid out plans to appease RIM investors wondering where their money went what he intends to do nonetheless. Heins has indicated RIM will step up its marketing game (the search for a chief marketing officer has already started)—a good move since the BlackBerry maker clearly needs an image overhaul. But, as the Toronto Star’s David Olive argues, Heins is not the kind of captivating tech evangelist—à la Steve Jobs—who will make us forget RIM’s flubs and flailing, glitches and gaffes. For proof of Olive’s point, look no further than RIM’s suite of YouTube videos introducing their new CEO; hearing Heins’ declare in a soothing monotone, “I’m absolutely excited” makes us think he’s not particularly, ahem, Bold.

• Olive: RIM continues its irrelevance with ‘shakeup’ [Toronto Star]