TOKYO, June 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Advantest Corporation (TSE:6857TSE: NYSE:TSE:ATE), a global leader in automatic test equipment to the semiconductor industry, has announced a slate of promotions and executive appointments directed at increasing corporate efficiency and value. On June 25, 2009, shareholders approved the reappointment of Toshio Maruyama, formerly Advantest's president and CEO, as a director, and an extraordinary board meeting on the same date elected Maruyama to the position of Advantest Corporation's chairman of the board and representative director. Also effective June 25, 2009, Haruo Matsuno was elected representative director and named president and CEO of the company. Mr. Matsuno most recently served the company as senior vice president of Advantest's production group. Other significant appointments and management changes include: Shinichiro Kuroe, senior vice president of Advantest's Test System Business Group, to director and managing executive officer; Hiroshi Nakamura to managing executive officer; and Yoshiaki Yoshida to managing executive officer. Additionally, Shimpei Takeshita has resigned as chairman of the board to become a senior executive advisor, and Takao Tadokoro and Minoru Morishita have resigned their current positions to become advisors to the company. Toshio Maruyama commented, "We have in place a skillful and experienced team of managers who understand the challenges of today's environment and who are well equipped to bring our company forward. With this talented team, we are ably positioned to move to the next level of growth and to remain a global technology leader in our field. We are grateful to Mr. Takeshita, Mr. Tadokoro and Mr. Morishita for their contributions to the company's success over time, and we are pleased that they will remain engaged in a strategic advisory capacity." About Advantest Advantest Corporation is the world's leading automatic test equipment supplier to the semiconductor industry, and also produces electronic instruments and systems. A global company, Advantest has long offered total ATE solutions, and serves the industry in every component of semiconductor test: tester, handler, mechanical and electrical interfaces, and software. Its logic, memory, mixed-signal and RF testers and device handlers are integrated into the most advanced semiconductor production lines in the world. Founded in Tokyo in 1954, Advantest established its first subsidiary in 1982, in the USA, and now has subsidiaries worldwide. Among them, Advantest America, Inc. is based in Santa Clara, CA., Advantest Europe GmbH is based in Munich, Germany, and Advantest Taiwan Inc. is based in Hsinchu, Taiwan. More information is available at http://www.advantest.co.jp/ DATASOURCE: Advantest Corporation CONTACT: Amy Gold, Advantest America, Inc., +1-212-850-6670, Web Site: http://www.advantest.com/

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