Executive exodus continues at BlackBerry as major US retailers cut Z10 prices

BlackBerry has seen the departure of two more senior executives, according to reports, while in a worrying trend, major US retailers and telcos have begun cutting the price of the company’s flagship Z10 smartphone.

Late last week, SmartCompany reported BlackBerry’s marketing boss, Richard Piasentin, had recently left the company, as its chief executive, Thorsten Heins, admitted the company’s PlayBook tablets weren’t powerful enough to receive an update to BlackBerry 10, despite a previous commitment from the company.

“I can confirm that as of last month, Richard Piasentin is no longer with BlackBerry. We wish him all the best in his future endeavours,” a BlackBerry spokesperson said when asked about the departure.

According to Engadget, it appears two more senior executives have also recently left the troubled smartphone giant.

T.A. McCann, a vice president responsible for overseeing BlackBerry messenger and the social networking apps, left the company two weeks ago.

McCann reportedly joined Marc Gingras, who designed the company’s BlackBerry 10 Hub feature, who also left the company in “recent weeks”.

Both executives are said to have left voluntarily, amongst concerns over senior staff retention and the long-term future of the troubled smartphone pioneer.

The departures come amidst reports a number of major US retailers are cutting the price of the company’s flagship Z10 device amidst weakening sales.

According to The Wall Street Journal, major US carriers AT&T and Verizon Wireless have cut their prices on the smartphone from $US199 to $US99 on a two-year contract, with retail giants Amazon and Best Buy offering the smartphone for just $US49.