La Mora could end up in the hands of an ex from Apple. According to rumors published by the Canadian newspaper Globe and Mail, John Sculley, CEO of Apple between 1983 and 1993 and who had more than one clash with Steve Jobs, would be about to start the assault on BlackBerry, together with a group of Canadian investors .
Sculley declined to comment on the news, but clarified that he has been a "longtime BlackBerry fan and user" and added that "the company has a lot of potential, but it's hard to bring it out without the experience of people who already have managed this type of business. Whoever buys it must have a credible strategic plan, with a team capable of delivering it.”
If the information from the Globe and Mail is correct, John Sculley joins the list of candidates to buy the Canadian brand. A group led by Fairfax Financial Holdings offered $9 a share last month. But the insurance group, whose total offer is 4,7 billion dollars, has not disclosed who the other members of the consortium are.
For his part, Mike Lazaridis, one of the co-founders of BlackBerry, is considering making an offer to take over 100% of the company. Cisco, Google and Sap would be ready to buy some pieces of the business. But Lenovo's Chinese have also been cited as potential buyers.
BlackBerry is having a tough time, with sales in free fall in recent years. Apple's iPhones and devices that mount the Google Android system have stolen large slices of the market. Even the new BlackBerry 10 failed to return to big numbers, forcing the company to explore new solutions. Bulk sale included.
The presence of Sculley, who also led Pepsi during the great Coca-Cola attack, adds another piece to the already crowded line of suitors.
