The company said Tuesday that Rob Orr would step into the key role starting Sept. 1.
He replaces Stephen Bates who will become European regional managing director, a new role that has been created for him.
Orr has worked at RIM for more than six years, focused on product management in Europe, Middle East and Africa.
"In that time he has been instrumental in helping the EMEA region grow to become a major part of RIM's global business," the company said in a release.
The Waterloo, Ont.-based technology firm (TSX:RIM) has been undergoing major changes in the months leading up to the delayed unveiling of its BB10 smartphones, which are expected to hit the market in the first quarter of next year.
Numerous other executives have left key management and marketing roles since co-CEOs Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis stepped down from their leadership positions earlier this year. Lazaridis still remains on the company's board of directors.
BlackBerry 10 – which many see as a make-or-break innovation for the company – is expected to face fierce competition from Apple's iPhone and smartphones using the Android operating system and possibly other rivals.
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