RIM Closes to Choose JPMorgan as Strategy Adviser

Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM) is near a decision to pick a financial adviser, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. is the leading candidate to help the company weigh strategy options. 

A final choice hasn’t been made and could come within days.

RIM is considering options such as a licensing deal or a strategic investment.

RIM Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins -who took over from company co-founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie in January- said he’s considering strategy changes after customer and market-share losses led to five straight quarters of sales shortfalls. RIM also discussed its options with Bank of America Corp., according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation.

RIM would prefer to license its BlackBerry mobile operating system, a person with knowledge of the matter said this week. The company is racing to put the final touches on a new platform, known as BB10, and release the first Smartphone built on the software later this year, as Bloomberg stated. 

After a licensing deal, RIM’s next choice would be to find a strategic investor.

German-born Heins, who joined RIM in 2007, said in March that while the company would consider a sale, that wasn’t “the main direction” he’s pursuing.