BlackBerry forms new business unit

WATERLOO, Ont. – BlackBerry Ltd. has created a new business unit that will combine some of its most innovative technology, including QNX embedded software, Certicom cryptography applications and its patent portfolio.

The unit, to be called BlackBerry Technology Solutions, will be headed by Sandeep Chennakeshu, who has previously been president of Ericsson Mobile Platforms and chief technology officer of Sony-Ericsson.

“Combining all these assets into a single business unit led by Sandeep will create operational synergies and new revenue streams, furthering our turnaround strategy,”  said John Chen, BlackBerry’s executive chairman and chief executive officer.

QNX is a formerly independent Ottawa-based company with  software used by the automotive industry for information-entertainment systems. Certicom was a formerly independent Toronto-area company that has advanced security software.

BTS will also include BlackBerry’s Project Ion, which is an application platform focused on machine-to-machine Internet technology, Paratek antenna tuning technology and about 44,000 patents.

Chennakeshu has 25 years of experience in research, product development, and intellectual property licensing in the wireless, electronics and semiconductor industries. He has 73 patents to his name.