BlackBerry has appointed John J Giamatteo as its new CEO and Board member, with immediate effect. Richard (Dick) Lynch, previously the interim CEO since November 4, will now continue as the Board Chair. Additionally, the company revealed plans to divide its IoT and cybersecurity businesses into independent divisions, operating separately.
BlackBerry stated it would no longer proceed with an IPO for its IoT division. Mike Daniels, Chair of the Compensation, Nomination, and Governance Committee on BlackBerry's Board, highlighted John J Giamatteo's extensive industry expertise and successful leadership in driving operational excellence. Giamatteo, who has been the President of BlackBerry's Cybersecurity business unit since October 2021, possesses over three decades of experience in global technology firms, including his previous role as President and Chief Revenue Officer at McAfee.
Expressing his enthusiasm for leading BlackBerry's next phase, Giamatteo emphasized the strength of BlackBerry's IoT and Cybersecurity divisions in terms of cutting-edge technology, talented teams, and substantial market prospects. Before joining BlackBerry, he held roles such as Chief Operating Officer at AVG Technologies and occupied leadership positions at Solera, RealNetworks, and Nortel Networks. Headquartered in Waterloo, Ontario, BlackBerry secures more than 500 million endpoints, including over 235 million vehicles.