Timing Is Everything: RIM's Marketing Director Resigns Two Weeks Before Tablet Launch

Playing catch-up is never easy. Reading the announcement of this resignation, one is struck by the notion that this is not a vote of confidence in either the technology or the marketing prospects.

Tom Krazit in PaidContent has the details:

"Keith Pardy, the chief marketing officer at BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (NSDQ: RIMM), has announced plans to leave the company just weeks before it is expected to launch a tablet computer in hopes of reviving its brand.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday after the close of the stock marketing that Pardy was stepping down for “personal reasons,” citing a company statement. He’ll remain on board during a transition period, a company representative confirmed, but it’s unclear if RIM has lined up anyone to replace him.

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RIM, once the darling of the mobile world, has watched competitors like Apple (NSDQ: AAPL) and Google (NSDQ: GOOG) take the industry to a new level while hanging in there with the BlackBerry. Its PlayBook tablet, running a new operating system, is being heavily promoted by the company as its Next Big Thing, and is expected to arrive over the next month or so.

AT&T (NYSE: T), perhaps one of the carriers that might carry the PlayBook, also announced an executive shakeup Friday that will see Chief Financial Officer Rick Lindner retire in June to be replaced by John Stephens, currently AT&T’s controller.