Blackberry CEO to speak at GITEX 2010

49 years old Jim Balsillie, CEO of Canadian company Research In Motion(RIM), maker of the world renowned Blackberry wireless solution will be speaking at the 30th anniversary of GITEX Technology Week on October 18th. UAE is having about 500,000 Blackberry subscribers and as TRA [Telecommunications Regulatory Authority] in the UAE has mysteriously withheld the expected ban on blackberry services in the region, his presentation will be of great importance. The deal among UAE and Blackberry is still a secret as no one knows if Blackberry agreed to install a server in UAE and to give access to the personal data for national security concerns showed by the local governing bodies.

He may be unleashing the new Blackpad to the region in competition with new Tablet PCs like iPad by Apple as samsung is also looking forward to launch its Galaxy Tab.

Previously, Ben Verwaayen was appointed to the Board of Directors of BT on January 14, 2002 and became Chief Executive on February 1, 2002. He left BT Group on June 1, 2008 as Chairman of the Board’s Operating Committee.

Before joining BT Group, he was at Lucent Technologies starting September 1997, holding various positions. He left Lucent as Vice Chairman of the Management Board. Other positions that Ben Verwaayen held at Lucent were Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer, and Executive Vice-President, International.

Prior to joining Lucent, Ben Verwaayen worked for KPN in the Netherlands for nine years as President and Managing Director of its subsidiary PTT Telecom. From 1975 to 1988, he worked at ITT in Europe.

He was appointed an Independent, Non-Executive Director of UPS in March 2005.

He has been made an Officer of the Orange Order-Nassau and an Honorary Knight of the British Empire (KBE). He has also received the Chevalier de la Légion d ‘Honneur medal.

Ben Verwaayen is a Dutch national and graduated with a Master’s degree in law and international politics from the State University of Utrecht, Holland.

Contact: Ben.Verwaayen@alcatel-lucent.com