BlackBerry's patent strategy head exits, joins health tech firm -sources

Nanthealth

02/10/2017 21:18

By Alastair Sharp 
    TORONTO, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The man who was leading 
BlackBerry Ltd's  BB.TO  efforts to make money from its patent 
portfolio has left to join a health technology company, two 
sources with knowledge of the move said on Monday. 
    Mark Kokes left the Canadian company last month to join 
privately held NantWorks LLC, the sources said. NantWorks was 
founded in 2011 by billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong and houses a 
string of startups looking to transform global health 
information and develop next-generation pharmaceuticals. 
    Kokes is the second senior executive to move from BlackBerry 
to NantWorks this year, following the May announcement that 
NantHealth Inc  NH.O , a publicly traded part of NantWorks, had 
hired BlackBerry's president for devices and emerging solutions, 
Ron Louks, as its chief operating officer.  
    BlackBerry also saw its former head of acquisition strategy 
exit in February.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1GF1K9 
    Kokes declined to comment when contacted by Reuters. 
BlackBerry did not respond to a request for comment. The sources 
declined to be identified as the information was private.     
    BlackBerry hired Kokes in mid-2014 to lead its patent 
monetization strategy, as the Canadian handset maker turned 
software company looked to turn a trove of foundational 
technology patents collected in its heyday into hard cash to 
help augment its shrunken revenue. 
    In June 2015 the company announced a royalty-bearing license 
deal with Cisco Systems Inc  CSCO.O , followed by others with 
Canon Inc  7751.T  and International Game Technology. In 2016 it 
filed infringement suits against Avaya, Nokia and BLU Products 
Inc, a manufacturer of low-end Android phones. 
    In its most recent quarterly earnings report, issued last 
Thursday, BlackBerry said that it had recognized its first 
revenue from three recent licensing deals with Ford Motor Co 
 F.N , watchmaker Timex Group and BLU.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1M90H1 
    Licensing fees in the quarter -- which also include payments 
the company receives for BlackBerry-branded phones made and sold 
by others -- were the primary driver of a software sales beat, 
rising to $56 million from $16 million a year earlier.     
    NantWorks has job postings listed on its website for several 
patent-related jobs, including for a vice president of 
intellectual property prosecution and vice president of 
intellectual property technology. 
    Kokes' LinkedIn profile still lists him as leading all 
aspects of BlackBerry's intellectual property strategy, 
licensing, IP venturing, technology research and standardization 
activities.  
    The news of Kokes' departure was first reported by patent 
business media outlet IAM. 
 
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BlackBerry's M&A head Mackey says left company in February    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1GF1K9 
BlackBerry shares soar as software sales hit record    
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1M90H1 
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 (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; Editing by Lisa Shumaker) 
 ((alastair.sharp@reuters.com; +1 416 941 8118; Reuters 
Messaging: alastair.sharp.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: BLACKBERRY PATENTS/