Is Alicia Keys the Quiet Catalyst for Upside at BlackBerry (BBRY)?

Alicia Keys Joins BlackBerry as Global Creative Director

WATERLOO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwire) -- 01/30/13 -- At the close of its BlackBerry 10 launch event today, BlackBerry (NASDAQ: RIMM)(TSX: RIM) CEO Thorsten Heins introduced 14-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and entrepreneur, Alicia Keys, as BlackBerry's new Global Creative Director. As an official member of the BlackBerry team, Keys will lead an array of new business initiatives that will drive engagement with BlackBerry and perception of the brand.

"Alicia Keys has come to BlackBerry because she believes in the product and technology, and subscribes to our overriding philosophy to 'Keep Moving': to empower people through mobile computing and communications," said BlackBerry President and CEO Thorsten Heins. "We are excited she will be bringing to us her enormous capabilities, as well as a vast network of relationships in the entertainment, social media and business communities, to help shape our brand and grow our business."

In her new role, Keys will work closely with app developers, content creators, retailers, carriers and the entertainment community to further shape and enhance the BlackBerry 10 platform, and inspire creative use through its remarkable capabilities and functionality. From music to books, to film, to apps, Keys will lead the charge of enhancing entertainment consumption and distribution, through the power of BlackBerry 10.

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