Reason for Election as Director and Executive Officer

Directors

Name Reasons for nomination
Kazuma Sekiya Reason for Election as Director:
Mr. Kazuma Sekiya joined DISCO in 1989. After serving as the leader of a new equipment development project in the Engineering Development Department, he assumed the post of General Manager of the Engineering Development Department.
Following this, he assumed office as a Director and contributed to the Company's technological development as the Director in charge of technological development.Then, he became Managing Director and subsequently assumed office as Representative Director (President) in 2009.
The Company elected him as a Director with the expectation that he will continue demonstrating strong leadership in the future with the technological development expertise he has cultivated at the Company, his deep knowledge of business as a whole, and his wealth of ideas.
In addition, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as a member of the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee, representing the Company’s executive side in decision-making regarding personnel-related affairs for Directors and Executive Officers and the officer remuneration system.
Noboru Yoshinaga Reason for Election as Director:
Mr. Noboru Yoshinaga joined DISCO in 1981. Following an extensive period of overseas experience, he served as Operating Officer in charge of global sales divisions and overseas subsidiaries for many years and assumed the post of Senior Managing Director in 2019. He has contributed greatly to the growth and development of the Company through his service in the sales field amidst rapidly changing market conditions. The Company elected him as a Director with the expectation that he will incorporate his personal connections with a broad range of clients and his abundant experience into the management of the Company. The Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as an Executive Officer as well.
Takao Tamura Reason for Election as Director:
Mr. Takao Tamura joined DISCO in 1977. After building up experience overseas through projects such as the launch of an overseas local subsidiary, he began serving as the person responsible for overseeing administrative departments in the Company and supervising subsidiaries within Japan and overseas. He then assumed office as a Managing Director in 2011. The Company elected him as a Director with the expectation that he will incorporate this extensive experience and knowledge into the management of the Company. The Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as an Executive Officer as well.
Ichiro Inasaki Reason for Election as Outside Director:
Mr. Ichiro Inasaki’s efforts have led to the achievement of outstanding outcomes in research related to the Company's business areas of machine processing engineering and production engineering, and he was awarded the Georg-Schlesinger-Preis, a prestigious award given to honor researchers who have contributed to the advancement of production engineering in Germany. He is recognized as being an authority in these business areas and has a deep understanding of the Company’s business. The Company has elected him as an Outside Director so that he can use this depth of insight to strengthen the Company’s business. In addition, the Company anticipates that he will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution. Furthermore, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as the Chairman of the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee, staying objective and neutral in the selection of candidates for Company Director positions and decision-making regarding the officer remuneration system.
Shinichi Tamura Reason for Election as Outside Director:
Mr. Shinichi Tamura is a pioneering researcher in the field of image processing technology, a technology that is integrally important in production of the Company’s products, in addition to also having experience as a corporate management executive.
Therefore, the Company has elected him as an Outside Director so that he can use his depth of expertise to strengthen the Company’s business. In addition, the Company anticipates that he will proactively contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution.
Furthermore, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as a member of the Nominating Committee and Compensation Committee, staying objective and neutral in the selection of candidates for Company Director positions and decision-making regarding the officer remuneration system.
Tsutomu Mimata Reason for Election as Outside Director:
Mr. Tsutomu Mimata worked in manufacturing equipment development and process development as an engineer at a major semiconductor manufacturer, and later served as an executive at Shinkawa Ltd., a semiconductor packaging equipment manufacturer. The Company has elected him as an Outside Director since he is a rare management talent who has both profound technical knowledge and management experience.
In the semiconductor manufacturing process, he was involved in the development and commercialization of the production line at Hitachi, Ltd., including the dicing process, and he is familiar with dicing equipment, our main product. During his time at Shinkawa Ltd., he deepened his knowledge of equipment, manufacturing, sales, and purchasing, as well as equipment development for die bonding and wire bonding processes. Using his broad insight, he has provided statements of high added value on the direction of R&D and on technological management from an independent and objective perspective at the Company’s Board of Directors meetings and management meetings, and has more than adequately fulfilled the roles expected of him by the Company.
In addition, he is the Chairman of the Representative Executive Officer Evaluation Committee, which is composed entirely of Outside Directors and evaluates business execution by the Representative Executive Officer from various angles. He serves as a coordinator among the Outside Directors to promote understanding of the Company’s corporate culture and relays information regarding the roles expected of Audit Committee members to Outside Directors who have still only been in their position for a short period of time. He strives to create an environment in which even Outside Directors who have only been in their position for a short period of time can smoothly carry out their duties. In addition, the Company anticipates that he will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution. Furthermore, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as the Chairman of the Audit Committee and as a full-time Audit Committee Member, auditing the execution of duties by Executive Officers and Directors and determining the Accounting Auditor.
Yusei Yamaguchi Reason for Election as Outside Director:
The Company has elected Mr. Yusei Yamaguchi as an Outside Director for his extensive experience and broad knowledge obtained over his long tenure in corporate management, including serving as Representative Director of two listed companies, as well as for his extensive insight into finance, accounting, and legal matters cultivated through his many years of experience in finance-related business operations.
In addition, the Company anticipates that he will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution. Furthermore, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as a member of the Audit Committee, staying objective and neutral in the auditing of the execution of duties by Executive Officers and Directors and in determining the Accounting Auditor.
Kazuyoshi Tokimaru Reason for Election as Outside Director:
The Company has elected Mr. Kazuyoshi Tokimaru as an Outside Director for his wealth of insight regarding finance, accounting, and legal affairs over his long tenure in finance and legal-related operations.
In addition, the Company anticipates that he will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution.
Furthermore, the Company anticipates that he will commit himself to his role as a full-time Audit Committee Member, staying objective and neutral in the auditing of the execution of duties by Executive Officers and Directors and in determining the Accounting Auditor.
Noriko Oki Reason for Election as Outside Director:
As a securities analyst, Ms. Noriko Oki has a wealth of knowledge and high level of expertise in finance and accounting in the semiconductor manufacturing equipment industry, to which the Company belongs, and the precision equipment industry, to which our customers belong, obtained through her many years of experience in these industries. The Company has elected her as an Outside Director for this high level of insight in analyzing companies from various perspectives. In addition, the Company anticipates that she will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution. Furthermore, the Company anticipates that she will commit herself to her role as a member of the Audit Committee, staying objective and neutral in the auditing of the execution of duties by Executive Officers and Directors and in determining the Accounting Auditor.
Akiko Matsuo Reason for Election as Outside Director:
Ms. Akiko Matsuo has specialized knowledge in physics and mechanical engineering, particularly in the area of computer simulation, and has an outstanding record of research accomplishments. She was also the youngest ever part-time member of a council for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, and is held in high esteem by society. The Company has elected her as an Outside Director in the belief that she will utilize her deep insight to strengthen the Company’s business. In addition, the Company anticipates that she will contribute toward decision-making regarding important management matters within the Board of Directors and toward the supervision of business execution. Furthermore, the Company anticipates that she will commit herself to her role as a member of the Audit Committee, staying objective and neutral in the auditing of the execution of duties by Executive Officers and Directors and in determining the Accounting Auditor.

Executive Officers

Naoki Abe Reason for Election as Executive Officer:
Mr. Naoki Abe joined DISCO in 1979. After building up long-term experience, particularly in equipment manufacturing departments, he assumed the post of General Manager of the Precision Equipment Manufacturing Department in 1995. He established our current equipment manufacturing system within the volatile semiconductor industry. After that, he assumed office as General Manager of the Manufacturing Division, overseeing the entire manufacturing process, and assumed office as an Operating Officer in 2011. The Company has elected him as an Executive Officer with the expectation that he will continue utilizing his expertise and deep knowledge of manufacturing in company management.
Kaoru Sekiya Reason for Election as Executive Officer:
Mr. Kaoru Sekiya joined DISCO in 1980. He has long-term experience in purchasing divisions and assumed the post of Manager of the Purchasing Division in 2003. After that, he was placed in charge of planning and executing purchasing strategies for the Company, and assumed office as an Operating Officer in 2011. He has a wealth of knowledge regarding the Company's products and in purchasing, as well as personal connections across a broad range of suppliers. The Company has elected him as an Executive Officer with the expectation that he will contribute toward the management of the Company.
Yutaka Nishimura Reason for Election as Executive Officer:
Mr. Yutaka Nishimura joined DISCO in 1985. He has long-term experience in the Information Systems Department and assumed the post of Leader of the Management Information Group in 2002. He has led the establishment of information systems within the Company.
He assumed office as Vice General Manager of Hiroshima Works, our main production base, in 2020. The next year, in 2021, he assumed the post of General Manager of Hiroshima Works. While he holds the difficult-to-balance positions of both Manager of the Information Systems Department (at the Tokyo head office) and General Manager of Hiroshima Works, the Company has elected him as an Executive Officer with the expectation that he will continue to demonstrate agile management capabilities.

Recommendation