From positive to negative, the reaction to RIM re-booting its executive branch is pouring in to 570 News.
Tech Analyst Carmi Levy said this move was a long time coming, but adds the real story here isn't that Balsillie and Lazaridis have stepped down, "but that they remain on the board, for one, and that they chose to bring in an insider as their replacement, so I think a lot of investors are going to find that a little bit questionable."
Levy said what happens over the next few weeks and months will show us if Heins has what it takes to navigate RIM out of its current predicament.
Communitech is weighing in.
President and CEO Iain Klugman told 570 News this is exciting news saying new CEO Thorsten Heins is a perfect successor to Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis.
Klugman said Heins brings with him a very solid resume, including having played a key role in running Siemens.
Klugman adds Heins also understands RIM and the market.
The reaction Klugman is getting from members of the local high tech community, he said, is positive and that local companies say this a very logical succession plan and sets new direction for the firm.
As for the future, Klugman says RIM has a strong balance sheet, strong customer base and the goal now is to get the new platform onto the market.
The Greater K-W Chamber of Commerce is adding in their two cents.
Chamber President and CEO Ian McLean tells 570 News he has received a lot of positive feedback from local high tech people and not just those who work at RIM.
He says he does not know Heins, but says eveything he has heard about him has been positive.
Changes atop RIM had been rumoured for months and McLean says he is glad it's now official.
He says the company can now focus on the job at hand instead of dealing with an at times media "circus" surrounding the company.
A leading RIM analyst, who represents a sizeable number of RIM investors said the appointment of long-time company insider, in Heins is simply "more of the same."
Matthew Thornton of Avian Securities in Boston, told 570 News, the market was hoping for dramatic change.
"All they're doing here is re-shuffling insiders, so I don't think this is going to lead to a dramatic shake-up in strategy."
And long-time advocate for a management shake-up at the company, says this is not quite the shake-up he was hoping to see.
Vic Alboini, President of Jaguar Financial Corporation told 570 News the market was eager for a stronger signal from RIM,
"the market is looking for 'how are you going to get the stock price from $17 to $25 or $30. That's wghat the market is looking for and it needs fresh ideas and fresh thinking."
Mike.McCulloch@rci.rogers.com