Research In Motion Ltd. executive Patrick Spence, who ran global sales for the BlackBerry maker, has resigned.

Spence is taking a job in a different industry following 14 years at RIM, said Rebecca Freiburger, a spokeswoman for the Waterloo, Ontario-based company. The sales team will report to Kristian Tear, RIM’s new operating chief, who will start this summer, she said in an e-mail. Until then, the division will report directly to Chief Executive Officer Thorsten Heins.