FREMONT, Calif., June 10, 2003 – Asyst Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq NM: ASYT) today announced that its board of directors has elected Tsuyoshi Kawanishi, former executive senior vice president and director of Toshiba Electronic Co., Ltd., to the board. Beginning his career in 1952 at Toshiba, Mr. Kawanishi has more than 50 years’ experience in the electronics industry.

He currently also serves on the boards of SMIC, the largest semiconductor foundry in the Peoples Republic of China, and TCS Japan. Mr. Kawanishi served on the board of Applied Materials, Inc. from 1994 to 2001 and Chartered Semiconductor from 1995 to 1999. He previously served on the Asyst board from 1996 to 2001. He is chairman of The Society of Semiconductor Industry Seniors in Japan and serves on the International Advisory Panel for Singapore Technologies.

“We are delighted that Mr. Kawanishi has agreed to rejoin Asyst’s board,” said Steve Schwartz, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Asyst. “His far-reaching experience in multiple aspects of this industry will be a great complement to the board and a benefit to the management team as we continue to pursue our significant automation market opportunities.”

The company also announced that Mihir Parikh, the company’s former chairman, resigned from the board in March 2003. Mr. Parikh’s employment was terminated by the company in January 2003. In February 2003 Mr. Parikh filed a Demand for Arbitration related to his termination. The arbitration is pending.

About Asyst
Asyst Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of integrated automation systems for the semiconductor manufacturing industry, which enable semiconductor manufacturers to increase their manufacturing productivity and protect their investment in silicon wafers during the manufacture of integrated circuits, or ICs. Encompassing isolation systems, work-in-process materials management, substrate-handling robotics, automated transport and loading systems, and connectivity automation software, Asyst’s modular, interoperable solutions allow chipmakers and original equipment manufacturers, or OEMs, to select and employ the value-assured, hands-off manufacturing capabilities that best suit their needs. Asyst’s homepage is http://www.asyst.com

CONTACT:

Investor Contact
John Swenson
Asyst Technologies, Inc.
(510) 661-5000
(510) 661-5166 (fax)
jswenson@asyst.com