• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

RIM to face toughest critics: Its shareholders

Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
Michal Lev-Ram
By
Michal Lev-Ram
Michal Lev-Ram
Special Correspondent
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 10, 2012, 6:08 AM ET

FORTUNE — Research in Motion CEO Thorsten Heins will face a tough crowd Tuesday morning: investors. The beleaguered company’s annual shareholders’ meeting takes place in Waterloo, Ont. later today, providing a forum for frustrated investors to vent — and an opportunity for RIM (RIMM) to clarify its strategy.

The BlackBerry maker’s stock price has plummeted about 95% since its height in 2008. Last month RIM reported a first-quarter loss of $518 million, and announced that its long-awaited BlackBerry 10 operating system will be delayed until early 2013. The news did not bode well for the future. It didn’t play with investors either.

“There’s a very substantial loss of credibility with the management team, both prior and current,” says Jaguar Financial Corp. CEO Vic Alboini, one of RIM’s most outspoken shareholders. Alboini says he recently contacted RIM’s management team with recommendations for three new board members, including Brian Bogosian, the former CEO of Good Technology. He is also pushing for Heins to be replaced, though he says he has decided not to solicit proxies from shareholders.

MORE: RIM: What the hell happened?

“To come out with a proxy campaign for a sizable company like this takes a tremendous amount of time and resources,” says Alboini. “You need to own at least 5% of the stock.” (Alboini would not disclose his firm’s holding in RIM).

A RIM spokesperson told Fortune that the company has reviewed Alboini’s suggestions for new board members, and that he is entitled to his opinions. “In the past six months, the company has appointed an independent chairperson in Barbara Stymiest, added a well-respected investor, Prem Watsa as a Director, and has nominated another independent board member with extensive international business experience, Timothy Dattels,” the spokesperson said in a written statement. “The board also continues to actively seek additional members to provide additional perspective and experience on the board.”

But despite some fresh faces on RIM’s board — and in its executive suite — RIM’s newish CEO, Heins, has been criticized for downplaying the company’s problems and sticking to its BlackBerry 10 strategy. In last month’s earnings report he said he would “work aggressively” to implement changes, including “a thoughtful realignment of resources and honing focus within the company on areas that have the greatest opportunities.” RIM also recently announced that it has engaged JPMorgan and RBC Capital to evaluate its options, but it hasn’t said much about which “option” it’s likely to decide on.

MORE: RIM posts dismal earnings, delays BlackBerry 10 operating system

Alboini says he wants RIM’s management to clearly state that they are authorizing the banks to canvass a potential sale of the company, or looking into splitting up into two businesses. “What the board has not done is they’ve not clearly enunciated that they’re looking at these types of transactions,” says Alboini.

It’s not clear how many other shareholders share Alboini’s viewpoint, though he is not the only one expressing frustration. And a recent New York Times article suggests that the BlackBerry 10 delays couples with some of the company’s overly optimistic comments may even make it the target of shareholder lawsuits.

At this point, there’s not much RIM can do to appease investors like Alboini, except for a bold move that would see the company cut in half or sold off in its entirety. Clearer communication at Tuesday’s shareholders meeting could be a start.

About the Author
Michal Lev-Ram
By Michal Lev-RamSpecial Correspondent
Twitter icon

Michal Lev-Ram is a special correspondent covering the technology and entertainment sectors for Fortune, writing analysis and longform reporting.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

EuropeFood and drink
413,793 KitKat bars stolen: ‘Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue’
By The Associated PressMarch 28, 2026
2 minutes ago
EconomyCurrency
Dollar dominance is reinforced by the global oil trade, but the Iran war could give rise to the ‘petroyuan’ as the U.S. security shield weakens
By Jason MaMarch 28, 2026
47 minutes ago
PoliticsUkraine
Ukraine looks to leverage its help to Arab Gulf states fighting off Iranian drones in exchange for interceptors against Russian missiles
By Volodymyr Yurchuk and The Associated PressMarch 28, 2026
3 hours ago
AIMedia
Actors union is bargaining for ‘Tilly tax’ on AI film characters
By Victor Swezey and BloombergMarch 28, 2026
3 hours ago
PoliticsIran
Iranian attack on Saudi base injures at least 15 U.S. troops while 2,500 Marines arrive in the Mideast ahead of Trump’s new Hormuz deadline
By Aamer Madhani, Samy Magdy, Ben Finley and The Associated PressMarch 28, 2026
3 hours ago
EconomyDebt
U.S. debt suddenly draws weaker demand as $10 trillion must be rolled over this year amid Iran war. ‘The bond market remains undefeated’
By Jason MaMarch 28, 2026
3 hours ago

Most Popular

Success
Meetings are not work, says Southwest Airlines CEO—and he’s taking action by blocking his calendar every afternoon from Wednesday to Friday 
By Fortune EditorsMarch 27, 2026
1 day ago
Personal Finance
Current price of gold as of March 27, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 27, 2026
1 day ago
AI
Exclusive: Anthropic acknowledges testing new AI model representing ‘step change’ in capabilities, after accidental data leak reveals its existence
By Fortune EditorsMarch 26, 2026
2 days ago
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Friday, March 27, 2026
By Fortune EditorsMarch 27, 2026
1 day ago
Success
This AI-proof career faces a 250,000-worker shortage—now the Trump administration is trying to revive the job millennials abandoned
By Fortune EditorsMarch 27, 2026
1 day ago
Economy
The stay-at-home boyfriend is now an economic trend as more women than men go to work
By Fortune EditorsMarch 28, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.