RIM has confirmed the resignation of its global head of sales, Patrick Spence, the latest in a series of high-profile executives to leave the struggling BlackBerry maker.

A RIM spokesperson told Canada’s Globe & Mail newspaper that Spence was leaving to take on a “leadership position in a different industry” when he steps down on 15 June.

“The sales function will report directly into Kristian Tear, our newly appointed [COO] when he starts this summer. In the interim, the sales function will report to [CEO] Thorsten Heins,” said the spokesperson.

Sources at the newspaper say Spence's resignation may have been due to him being passed over for the chief operating officer role in favour of Tear.

London-based Spence is a 14-year RIM veteran and was considered a rising star at the firm, promoted to the global sales role in July after previously serving as managing director for the EMEA region.

A shake-up of RIM’s senior management team has been underway for some months as the firm looks to regain lost ground in the smartphone space. Thorsten Heins, a former COO, was installed as chief executive earlier this year, replacing the long-time co-CEO and co-chairman pairing of Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie.