BlackBerry takes $1B investment from Fairfax and replaces CEO

During the time that Heins was CEO, BlackBerry launched BlackBerry 10, as well as a number of new handsets including the Q10, Z10 and Z30. The company has been talking to several potential buyers, like Intel.

Thosten Heins will step down when the deal closes, and will be replaced by John S. Chen (previously chairman and CEO of Sybase) as interim CEO (and Executive Chairman of the Board), while the company undertakes a search for a new CEO. BlackBerry’s official PR line around the deal seems to indicate that it is looking at this as a way to strengthen its business to continue serving customers.  An enterprise focus under Chen could ideal for BlackBerry.