Research In Motion (RIM) received the GSMA Chairman's Award at the GSMA's Global Mobile Awards ceremony. This award,
established in 1995, is the Association's most prestigious award and
recognises outstanding contribution to the growth and development of
mobile communications around the world.
In his presentation to RIM Co-CEO Jim Balsillie, GSMA Chairman
Alexander Izosimov stated that, "RIM's commitment to innovation has
revolutionized the wireless industry and laid the foundations which
shaped the thriving smartphone market of today. BlackBerry products and
services have changed the way we communicate and interact, making
businesses more productive and consumers better connected."
On
receiving the award, Jim Balsillie, Co-CEO of RIM, said, "This award is
a testament to the talent and commitment of more than 12,000 RIM
employees who are all focused on serving our customers and partners. We
are more excited than ever by the opportunities ahead in our industry
and we are honored to be recognized with the Chairman's Award."
RIM was founded by Mike Lazaridis, President and Co-CEO, while a
student in Ontario in 1984 and Jim Balsillie joined as Co-CEO in 1992.
RIM launched the BlackBerry solution ten years ago as a wireless email
solution for enterprise customers and it changed the face of
communications. Over the years, it has evolved into a multifaceted and
robust wireless platform that supports a wide range of communications,
information and entertainment applications for businesses and consumers
alike. In recent years, RIM has brought innovative and popular new
devices to market including the BlackBerry Pearl, the BlackBerry
Curve, the BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Storm, which earned
its own award at Mobile World Congress this year.
RIM has now shipped over 50 million BlackBerry smartphones and
continues to grow at an impressive rate. In fact, in its thirteen years
as a public company, RIM has grown its revenues by a remarkable
170,000%. RIM's accomplishments in both innovation and business
excellence have served the company and the mobile communications
industry well, and RIM is the deserving recipient of this year's GSMA
Chairman's Award.