John Giamatteo, formerly president of BlackBerry’s cybersecurity business unit, has been elevated to chief executive officer of the company.
In his new role, Giamatteo succeeds Dick Lynch, who served as interim CEO since Nov. 4 and will now serve as Board chair, BlackBerry announced Monday. Giamatteo will also serve as a member of BlackBerry’s Board of Directors.
Giamatteo’s appointment aligns with BlackBerry’s strategic reorganization efforts, through which the company’s Internet of Things and cybersecurity businesses will operate as separate business units.
“I am honored and excited to lead the next phase of BlackBerry’s evolution as its CEO,” said Giamatteo. “BlackBerry’s IoT and Cybersecurity businesses have market-leading technology, exceptional teams and large market opportunities. The Board and I are fully aligned on the next steps needed to unlock the value within BlackBerry, and work on this effort will proceed at full speed.”
In his previous role, Giamatteo was responsible for enhancing the company’s product portfolio and go-to-market strategy. Prior to joining BlackBerry, he served as president and chief revenue officer at McAfee.
“We are delighted to appoint John to the role of CEO for what will be a transformative period in BlackBerry’s history, as we work to fully separate our two core business units to drive enhanced shareholder value,” commented Mike Daniels, chair of the BlackBerry Board’s Compensation, Nomination and Governance Committee.
Daniels added that with Giamatteo’s “deep industry experience” and strong track record of success, the new CEO is well positioned to lead BlackBerry in this period of “critical transformation” for the company.