BlackBerry appoints David Chaikof to its board
Eight of BlackBerry’s nine directors, including Chaikof, are independent under applicable exchange standards.
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Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
BlackBerry Limited appointed David Chaikof to its board effective October 27, 2026. The board determined that he is independent under applicable New York Stock Exchange and Toronto Stock Exchange standards. He will receive the same compensation and indemnification as the company’s other non-employee directors; aside from that compensation, BlackBerry said no arrangement or understanding with another person led to his appointment. Chaikof is a former partner of Torys LLP and serves as a Senior Strategic Advisor at Osmington Inc.; he was external counsel to BlackBerry for more than a decade. His appointment increased the board from eight to nine directors; eight, including Chaikof, are independent.
8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Board size before appointment: 8 directors
Board size after appointment: 9 directors
Independent directors: 8 directors
3 metrics
Board size before appointment
8 directors
Before Chaikof’s appointment
Board size after appointment
9 directors
After Chaikof’s appointment
Independent directors
8 directors
Including Chaikof
Key Terms
director independence standards, indemnification, related party transactions
3 terms
director independence standards regulatory
"meets the applicable director independence standards"
indemnification regulatory
"the same indemnification as the Company’s other non-employee directors"
A contractual promise to cover losses, expenses, or legal claims that arise from specified events, such as breaches of representations or third‑party lawsuits. For investors, indemnification matters because it shifts potential financial risk and future cash outflows from one party to another, similar to a friend agreeing to pay your bill if you’re sued, and can affect deal value, expected returns, and contingent liabilities on the balance sheet.
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Who did BlackBerry (BB) appoint to its board?
BlackBerry appointed David Chaikof to its board effective October 27, 2026. Chaikof is a former partner of Torys LLP and currently serves as a Senior Strategic Advisor at Osmington Inc.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of The Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
(519 ) 888-7465
Registrant's telephone number, including area code
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
| Common Shares | BB | Toronto Stock Exchange | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
o
Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
The board of directors (the “Board”) of BlackBerry Limited (the “Company”) has appointed David Chaikof as a member of the Board, effective today.
Mr. Chaikof will receive the same compensation for his service and the same indemnification as the Company’s other non-employee directors. Aside from such compensation, there is no arrangement or understanding between Mr. Chaikof and any other person pursuant to which Mr. Chaikof was appointed as a director.
The Board determined that Mr. Chaikof is independent and meets the applicable director independence standards of the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange. There are no related party transactions between Mr. Chaikof and the Company that would be reportable under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K and Mr. Chaikof does not have any familiar relationship with any director or executive officer of BlackBerry.
Item 7.01 Regulation FD Disclosure.
On October 27, 2026, the Company issued a press release announcing the appointment of Mr. Chaikof to the Board. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
The information furnished herewith pursuant to Item 7.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K, including Exhibit 99.1, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made by the Company under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such a filing.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits.
EXHIBIT INDEX
| Exhibit | Description | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press release issued by BlackBerry Limited dated October 27, 2026 | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (formatted as inline XBRL). | |||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, hereunto duly authorized.
BlackBerry Limited | ||||||||||||||||||||
Date: | October 27, 2026 | By: | /s/ Phil Kurtz | |||||||||||||||||
| Name: | Phil Kurtz | |||||||||||||||||||
| Title: | Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary | |||||||||||||||||||
NEWS RELEASE
BlackBerry Appoints David Chaikof to its Board of Directors
Waterloo, Ontario – October 27, 2026 – BlackBerry Limited (NYSE: BB)(TSX: BB) announced today that it has appointed legal veteran and investment executive David Chaikof to its Board of Directors.
Mr. Chaikof is a former partner of Torys LLP and currently serves as a Senior Strategic Advisor at Osmington Inc., a Canadian private investment company. During his career at Torys, his practice focused on M&A, corporate governance, private equity and capital markets matters in Canada and the United States. He also served as managing partner of the firm’s New York office. While at Torys, Mr. Chaikof served as external counsel to BlackBerry for more than a decade, providing him with a longstanding understanding of the Company and its business. He also served as a director and Chair of Leitch Technology Corporation through its acquisition by Harris Corporation.
“We’re very pleased to welcome David to the BlackBerry Board,” said Dick Lynch, Board Chair. “David’s distinguished career as a trusted advisor to companies and boards, together with his extensive cross-border transaction experience and deep relationships in the business community, will be a great benefit to BlackBerry.”
"I’m honored to join the BlackBerry Board of Directors,” said Mr. Chaikof. “I have long admired BlackBerry’s reputation for security, trust and innovation, as well as its leadership position in mission-critical embedded software and secure communications. I look forward to working with my fellow directors and the leadership team to advance the Company’s growth strategy and help drive sustainable, long-term value for shareholders.”
Mr. Chaikof’s appointment builds on the significant refresh of the BlackBerry Board over the past several years, adding further experience and perspective aligned with the Company’s strategic priorities. With his appointment, the Board has increased in size from eight to nine directors, eight of whom, including Mr. Chaikof, are independent.
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About BlackBerry
BlackBerry (NYSE:BB)(TSX:BB) provides enterprises and governments the intelligent software and services that power the world around us. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, the company's high-performance foundational software enables major automakers and industrial giants alike to unlock transformative applications, drive new revenue streams and launch innovative business models, all without sacrificing safety, security, and reliability. With a deep heritage in Secure Communications, BlackBerry delivers operational resiliency with a comprehensive, highly secure, and extensively certified portfolio for mobile fortification, mission-critical communications, and critical events management.
Safe. Certified. Secure.
For more information, visit BlackBerry.com and follow BlackBerry on LinkedIn.
Trademarks, including but not limited to BLACKBERRY and EMBLEM Design, are the trademarks or registered trademarks of BlackBerry Limited, and the exclusive rights to such trademarks are expressly reserved. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. BlackBerry is not responsible for any third-party products or services.
Media Contacts:
BlackBerry Media Relations
+1 (519) 597-7273
mediarelations@BlackBerry.com