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Both AT&T and Research In Motion decided to choose Friday afternoon to announce shifts in their respective executive ranks.
AT&T announced late today that CFO Rick Lindner, a 19-year company vet, will retire as of June 1, to be replaced by Controller John Stephens. Meanwhile, Research In Motion said that its chief marketing officer, Keith Pardy (seen here), is leaving the company for personal reasons. Although the departure wasn’t announced until Friday, Pardy let the company know of his plans a month ago, according to a person familiar with the situation.
RIM did not immediately comment on any succession plans. However, as noted by The Wall Street Journal, the move does come as the company prepares for a major transition including the launch of its PlayBook tablet and a shift to a new QNX-based operating system.
As for AT&T’s shift, the company said it expected little change with the move. “Rick is a world-class CFO who has done a remarkable job of positioning AT&T as one of the most financially strong companies in telecom,” CEO Randall Stephenson said in a statement. “Rick and John have worked together closely for more than 15 years, and we expect a seamless transition.”
