JOHN CHEN JOHN CHEN

Fifteen years ago, BlackBerry’s mobile handsets dominated the landscape with their physical keyboards and innovative tools for business users.

But by the time John Chen, BlackBerry’s Executive Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, joined the business, it was a very different picture.

The launch of the iPhone in 2007 heralded a huge change in the mobile handset industry. And, rather than embracing a new world of touch screens and mobile apps, BlackBerry got left behind.

By November 2013, the company’s market share had fallen dramatically. Recognising the need for a radical shift in strategy, Chen was instrumental in steering BlackBerry away from the handset business and towards becoming a leader in cybersecurity and enterprise software solutions.

Career before BlackBerry

Born in Hong Kong, Chen pursued his education at Brown University in Rhode Island, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Obtaining a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Chen’s career in the technology industry began in 1978 when he joined the prestigious Unisys Corporation. Throughout his tenure at Unisys, he held various leadership positions, honing his skills in developing and implementing innovative strategies to drive business growth. In 1991, Chen joined Siemens Nixdorf as the president and CEO of its Open Enterprise Computing Division, further solidifying his reputation as a dynamic leader in the technology sector.

In 1997, Chen took on the role of CEO at Sybase, a struggling enterprise software and services company. Under his visionary leadership, he orchestrated a remarkable