August 8, 2001 – Fremont, CA – Asyst Technologies’ Douglas McCutcheon, senior VP and CFO, plans to leave the company within the next few months. McCutcheon has agreed to continue in his current role until a successor has been identified to support a smooth transition and to complete various projects. He intends ultimately to pursue other business opportunities in the San Francisco Bay area. A search for a successor to McCutcheon is under way.

Mihir Parikh, chairman and CEO commented, “We would like to thank Doug for his dedication to Asyst and for his many contributions including the financial strategies, organization and executive support for the significant growth of Asyst over the past six years. We wish him the very best in his future pursuits. We also appreciate his willingness to stay with Asyst until a successor is named to facilitate a seamless transition.”