BlackBerry maker Research in Motion (RIM) is losing its second regional director in four months to rival Samsung Electronics.

Craige Fleischer, RIM’s regional director for Southern Africa, will be joining Samsung Electronics Africa on 1 October, TechCentral has learnt.

His move comes just months after his predecessor, Deon Liebenberg, left RIM, also to join Samsung.

Samsung Electronics Africa chief operations office George Ferreira confirms the company has offered Fleisher a role and that he has accepted the offer.

An official statement will be issued on Monday, Ferreira says.

Fleischer will operate out of the Samsung office that oversees Africa and will report to the region’s CEO and president, KK Park.

Fleischer will not, however, be involved with Samsung’s SA business due to restraints stemming from his contract with RIM.

Similarly, Fleischer will not be involved in Samsung’s mobile business. Instead, he will work in the company’s office automation, IT, home appliances, digital air systems, and audio-visual departments.

“We are conscious of and respect the restraints on [Fleischer],” says Ferreira. “He will have no role in the mobile arena while the restraints are in place. But that also doesn’t mean he will necessarily join [the] mobile [division] thereafter.”

A RIM spokesman says Fleischer is “no longer employed at RIM. We appreciate his past contributions to the business and wish him well.”

The spokesman says Southern Africa is an important and strategic market for RIM, adding that the company has a “talented management team in place that remains focused on continuing the growth of BlackBerry products and services in the region”. — Craig Wilson, TechCentral