Research in Motion president and co-CEO, Mike Lazaridis, will join executives from Microsoft and AT&T at the CTIA opening keynote event next week in Orlando, filling the spot vacated by Motorola’s Ed Zander.

“Mike Lazaridis is a welcome addition to a stellar keynote lineup this year,” said Robert Mesirow, vice president of operations and show director for the CTIA Wireless 2007 event. “BlackBerry smartphones are a common sight in the world today as a result of Mike’s longstanding vision.”

Zander backed out of the event right before Motorola announced an expected loss for the quarter and that an overhaul of it’s executive team is due. If Zander still has a job, he, may have backed out because he is trying to figure out how struggling Motorola can buy struggling Palm.