RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis Abruptly Ends BBC Interview
After being asked about security issues related to the Middle East and India during an interview with the BBC, RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis abruptly ended the discussion and walked away before any more questions could be asked.
When the interviewer asks him whether RIM has ‘sorted out’ the security issues in the Middle East and India, Lazaridis calls the question unfair. When pressed as to why it was an unfair question, RIM’s co-CEO had this to say:
You implied that we have a security problem; we don’t have a security problem. We’ve just been singled out, right, because we’re so successful around the world. It’s an iconic product, used by business, it’s used by leaders, it’s used by celebrities, it’s used by consumers, it’s used by teenagers. I mean we’re just singled out. And that’s just because of our success.
And then, when asked for assurances as to whether BlackBerry users in the Middle East and in India could feel secure using their devices, Lazaridis abruptly ended the interview deeming the question ‘unfair’.
BlackBerry devices have been labeled ‘security risks’ by several countries in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia and the UAE and it appeared that things had cooled off after negotiations. However, after that interview, it appears to still be a pretty touchy subject for Lazaridis and Co.
You can watch the clip of the BBC interview here.
(Via CrackBerry)
I think this is just the culmination of weeks and months of the same re-hash. Even Obama and other world leaders have shown their humanity when poked in the eye a million times over.
[...] most troubling about the BlackBerry PlayBook is its CEO’s outbursts at recent press events. Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis had abruptly ended an interview with BBC when pressed [...]
Don’t blame CEO, they want RIM win.
RIM has strange culture and self distruct political environment.
In RIM if a new hired person figure out major problem and introduce efficient approach, both manager and his buddy group member will proof their wrong approach works. just like someone point out driving a car is right way, pushing a car is wrong way, then both manager and his buddy group member will hate you, and proof that 3 person can also move the car by pushing it. cheating email will be sent to some vice president, saying like: see, the car moving, pushing a car is a natural part of the process, in order to deny new hired contribution of introducing skill of drive a car, they have to deny merit of driving a car.
It is very strange company culture and strange company political environment, it promote stealing and cheating skill. RIM’s management may be a typical instance in MBA course.
This culture deny or steal hardworking team members’ contribution/innovation, generate strange political environment, destroy RIM.
So don’t blame CEO, some of their VPs and VPs’ expert generate terrible culture and self destruct political environment.
[...] Irritated at questions about BlackBerry security and censorship issues in India and the Middle East, RIM founder and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis abruptly declares that his TV interview with the BBC is over. [...]
[...] Irritated at questions about BlackBerry security and censorship issues in India and the Middle East, RIM founder and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis abruptly declares that his TV interview with the BBC is over. [...]
[...] Irritated at questions about BlackBerry security and censorship issues in India and the Middle East, RIM founder and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis abruptly declares that his TV interview with the BBC is over. [...]
[...] Irritated during questions about BlackBerry confidence and censorship issues in India and a Middle East, RIM owner and co-CEO Mike Lazaridis abruptly declares that his TV talk with a BBC is over. [...]