"The sales function will report directly into Kristian Tear, our newly appointed COO when he starts this summer," RIM said in a statement confirming Spence's exit. In the interim, the sales function will report to Heins, it added.

RIM said in July last year it was reducing its global workforce across all functions by approximately 2,000 employees, as part of a cost optimization program.

The company's fortunes however continue on the downslide. Revenue for its fourth fiscal quarter ended March 3, 2012 at US$4.2 billion was down 25 percent from $5.6 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2011. The company's net loss in the quarter was $125 million.

RIM also announced in March that Jim Balsillie, former co-CEO of the company, had resigned as a director on its board. Software CTO David Yach also retired from his role, while Jim Rowan, COO of global operations decided to pursue other interests. The company announced in May the hiring of Tear as COO and Frank Boulben as chief marketing officer.