Over the last 20 years, Jim Balsillie and Mike Lazaridis have been co-CEOs and co-chairmen at Research In Motion Ltd. (RIM). Now the company has promoted Thorsten Heins from the COO position to the President and CEO of RIM. The management shuffle happened in the midst of pressure from investors, but the company said it was not a reaction to the stock price. RIM’s investors have been disappointed with weakening sales at the company due to increased competition from Google and Apple.

Research In Motion announced today that the company is making some big changes in their organization, including layoffs and shuffling upper management positions. Approximately 2,000 RIM employees from North America and a few other countries will be cut from the company. Street Insider reports that management changes include making Thorston Heins COO of products and sales, Patrick Spence becoming managing director of global sales and regional marketing, Jim Rowan stepping up as COO of operations, and more.