RIM loses Director of Global Developer Relations Mike Kirkup

By on Aug 30, 2011 at 3:35 PM
mobile August 30, 2011

RIM’s Senior Director of Global Developer Relations Mike Kirkup just announced on his personal blog that he is leaving Research In Motion after 10 years. While he thanks “many amazing individuals” inside RIM, it’s obvious to anyone outside the company that RIM has failed to gain a much-needed developer base, even with the launch of the first QNX product, the BlackBerry PlayBook. His full letter is after the break.

After an incredible journey with RIM, I have resigned as Senior Director, Global Developer Relations today.

As the mobile space continues to change so quickly and this seems like a great time to step back and consider my next steps.  If you wonder what I mean about the changing mobile landscape, just look at what has happened in the last two weeks – Motorola was acquired by Google, HP shut down webOS and Steve Jobs resigned as CEO from Apple.

Over my 10 year career I have worked with so many amazing individuals both inside RIM and in our broader developer community. This is a great company with leaders I respect and admire.  It has been an honour to share in the success and growth of such an extraordinary company.

The opportunity to work in Developer Relations has been one that I will never forget.  To be exposed to so many great ideas and the people behind them has been inspiring.  To manage the variety of challenges each and every day has been something which helped me grow personally.

I will be sharing my thoughts on the industry on this blog and on Twitter (@mikekirkup) and look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks, @muerl!

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  • Flamengo

    What is here so special about? people all the time switch from company, not so special… BGR

    • Flamengo

      PS, see CRACKBERRY.COM for a good inteview before BGR is concluding their own opinion about his ‘leaving’. there you can read why he is actualy leaving!

      • Anonymous

        Ha — the trolls won’t be bothered to read that. It is a shame though.

      • Flamengo

        Indeed, its very sad to see BGR report his as a big issue while CRACKBERRY.COM seemed to have another opinion then bgr, not strange if you read the post there!

      • Anonymous

        Dang you BGR for putting up news and putting your own spin on it. I’m going back to Fox News and CNN where news is not important only the spin is. lol

    • Jeromeo

      So much money, so little hair…

      • Plazmic Flame

        As long as you got the money, you can buy the hair

    • Yea right

      Oh come on. The are he works in has been decimated by the RIM axeman, and coincidentally he just decided to leave with no job to go to for personal reasons? Yea right…..

      He may be unwell in which case fair enough and I wish him a speedy recovery. If not I just hope he got a large bag of cash for that sycophantic farewell.

  • zacamandapio

    Thanks Mike.
    Next.

  • hikerbuddy

    I like his hat.

  • http://twitter.com/UrbanEnigma Yves

    It’s so funny how BGR makes it a point to highlight every aspect of RIM’s current decline or speculate on every petty Apple rumor while completely neglecting so much other legitimate tech news. Not surprising that this post would come from the leader of BGR’s RIM lynch mob, Mr. Gellar.

    • Anonymous

      This is not a news site, it’s more about telling you BGR’s interest and if you dig it you stay and if you don’t you go. Even the name of the site does not lead me to think this is a news site.

  • Anonymous

    Might be a good thing or might be a bad thing. Only time will tell. RIM get me a good solid QNX phone already….

  • Anonymous

    If it wasn’t for those two idiot CEO’s RIMMjob would still be number one an The Great Evil and crApple would be sucking RIMMjob’s nuts. Fire those two idiot CEO’s already fire Twiddle Dumb and Twiddle Dumber

    • Drew

      Agreed!! Mike (Lazaridis) needs to kick rocks for sure. Too much bullshit has left that man’s mouth and Jim I believe is just bored. He’s still trying to buy a hockey team. Whenever that happens, he’s outta there…

  • http://twitter.com/EatinBeaver Wood Yee

    That tie makes me want to vomit. Good riddance!

    • Anonymous

      Whats wrong with his tie? That tie fits in perfectly with RIMMjobs current corporate culture cheap and drab.

      • Jonathon Chambers

        And the trolls have came out…

      • Anonymous

        Trolls (looks around) where where???? Oh you mean me. Well gee sorry I pissed you off but it isn’t my fault I have good taste and you have as much taste as Bozo the clown. You should try posting on a crApple thread you’d fit right in tons of bozo’s on those threads.

      • Anonymous

        It was only a matter of time.

      • Anonymous

        Your mom has a dirty uterus.

  • Gabrielcharrell

    why so critical?- have u managed a team before? have you actual spearheaded a new product launch? or have you had the oportunity to be named and deemed as the “go to” person for a multi-national company?
    Oh- yes, thats right– you’re just another tech junky that has no real idea on how things work. Nonetheless you gravitate to un-canny stories of company demise.-
    BGR- is awesome– and i’m sure when i read comments with negative vibes of possible hidden agenda’s for other major mobile and tech innovators its usually some jerk that is totally clueless…to pure genius.–
    I would to write for BGR– in my opinion– they keep things relevant!– GABE

  • Max

    Rats leaving sinking ship! Rimjobbers will spin this no doubt.

    • Anonymous

      Speaking of rimjobbers, tell your mom she better brush her tongue, I had Mexican again

    • Reggie Dunlop

      management leaving RIM = leaving a sinking ship.  management leaving Apple = great move as he/ is looking to move up the corporate ladder.  Good job Max, again, your comment = FAIL!!! and they suck.  Get a life loser….

  • Herhhreheher

    ugly fatass virgin jonatahn s.(hit) geller piece of shit you fucking useless tool

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002479832716 Sanctus Martinus Turonensis

    Giant iceberg ahead RIM! Got enough lifeboats?

    • Anonymous

      …and there it is. Right on schedule.

    • Applesucksfatties

      Giant dipshit above.  Your comment = loooooser

  • m.schmitt8111

    Have you ever thought “Boy George Report” That they need new talent dealing with QNX? Have you looked at the stock on RIM that it is going up due to investor confidence? Can you hear that??? It sounds like Apple is scrambling for something to stop the Super-Powerful Ultra Reliable LTE QNX Phone… I’ve got an Idea… How about Apple tries to trademark “Webkit”? Awesome idea!!!! Retards going Down!!!! C ya Losers Later!

  • Anonymous

    I guess when Apple and other companies have executives move on we get to read glowing fluff how they changed blah blah.

    Considering the state of RIM’s developer relations it was time for a change. Anyone in corporate world knows things like this happen often andmany go the route of bowing out vs. being fired.

    Best of luck to Mike as he was a nice guy but RIM is looking for changes

  • Anonymous

    BGR took quite a different tack with some other RIM departed.

    Probably because Mike didn’t reveal secrets.

    He was however, just about the best thing to come out of RIM’s developer program. My guess is he got tired of having to say “Erm… not yet”.

    RIM’s loss I’m afraid.

  • Cornaa

    One of RIM’s biggest problems is a lack of developers creating apps. I don’t know how long Mr. Kirkup was in his position, but it would appear he failed in his role. Director of developer relations and yet he did nothing to change the fact that developers hate developing for BB. I am a developer. I hated dealing with the requirements of the app world vendor portal more than anything else. Everything no matter how minor always took atleast 2 weeks to get accomplished in the vendor portal. This waiting drove me to give up developing for the PB after I got my free tablet. If he quit or got fired either way it is probably a good idea for someone else to try their hand at developer relations. 

    Every job I have ever had gave you the choice of getting fired or quitting. I think this is one of those cases. RIM removing the people that aren’t doing the tasks they were assigned. Just like the guy that was in charge of getting the PB ready for launch. Did he do that job? Nope, not really.  

  • Anonymous

    Is he wearing an 8-bit tie?

  • Txt_AOD

    Soooooo Jared worked for RIM?

  • Lelouch84

    boy gay report at it again

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