2011 was not a very good year for Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM). In fact, it may just have been one of its worst years. As competition in the mobile industry grew with Apple still ahead with its iPhone and Google riding on the success of Android, RIM did nothing to beat the two. RIM’s stocks went down by 75 percent as a result.

This is the reason why RIM decided to replaces its CEOs. Thorsten Heins will be the man replacing RIM’s pair of CEO, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis. Thorsten has 4 years of experience working in RIM. As for the ex-CEOs, Lazaridis will become vice chairman of RIM while Balsillie will stay as a board member.

Both ex-CEOs claim that it was their own decision to step down from the position and not due to external pressure like people would think (of course). According to Lzaridis, “This marks the beginning of a new era for RIM.”

Lets hope he is right because few days ago there were talks of companies looking to buy RIM.