For many people, BlackBerry still brings to mind the signature smartphone that was once a staple of corporate America.
But the BlackBerry that CEO John Giamatteo leads today looks very different.
The devices that made the brand a household name are gone. In their place is a software business whose technology largely operates behind the scenes, powering systems in cars, government communications, robotics and medical equipment while securing communications for governments and other critical organizations.
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“We’re a different company than we were from the device days, but we are powering with our software and services the world around us in a lot of different ways,” Giamatteo told FOX Business.
For Giamatteo, continuing the reinvention of the brand has meant following a simple playbook of doing fewer things and doing them well.
“Simplify what you’re doing,” Giamatteo said.
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“Sometimes companies can get a little bit too complicated, and they’re into too many different things,” he added. “So narrowing your focus on fewer things that you’re going to do really well, I think, makes a big difference.”
For BlackBerry, that has meant focusing on its automotive software and secure communications businesses.
BlackBerry’s QNX embedded software is now used in more than 275 million vehicles, while 18 of the G20 countries use some form of its secure communications technology.
The transformation is also showing up in its financial results.
BlackBerry reported $163.3 million in revenue for its second quarter of fiscal 2027, up 26% from a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA jumped 81% to $47 million. QNX revenue climbed 27% to a quarterly record of $80.3 million.
Giamatteo also said he brings a numbers-driven approach to running the company.
“I’m a bit of a numbers guy,” he said. “I immerse myself in metrics and [key performance indicators]. I like to have data on everything.”
He said he reviews BlackBerry’s key performance indicators daily, looking for trends and signs of what’s working and what isn’t.
“I’m not saying it’s right, but it’s how I’m wired,” Giamatteo said. “And it allows me to kind of immerse myself in the business in a number of different ways.”
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That approach comes after roughly 37 years in the technology industry.
Giamatteo grew up on Long Island and attended St. John’s University in Queens. He began his career in finance before going on to hold leadership roles at several technology companies, including more than six years at McAfee.
His career also took him overseas, with two years in Hong Kong and four years in Tokyo, an experience he described as an “inflection point” in his career.
“It kind of made me a little more curious, a little bit more intellectually interested in some of these different markets and cultures and what it means,” Giamatteo said.
The experience also reinforced a piece of career advice that has stayed with him.
“Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone. That’s where you really grow. That’s where you really challenge yourself,” he said.
Giamatteo said a leadership development program earlier in his career gave him experience across marketing, product, sales and operations, helping him build a broader understanding of how a business operates.
“I really think, at a personal level, that helped me grow and develop in my career,” he said, encouraging others to venture beyond their own areas of expertise. “I think you’ll be better for it in the long run.”
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For those just starting their careers, Giamatteo said one piece of advice stands above the rest.
“Just network as much as you can,” he said. “I really think that’s the most critical, no matter what industry you’re in.”
The post CEO SUNDAY: BlackBerry boss on the company’s evolution from smartphone giant to software powerhouse appeared first on Fox Business.
