8-K

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT
     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 7, 2004


                       ELECTRO SCIENTIFIC INDUSTRIES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

          OREGON                      0-12853               93-0370304
(State or other jurisdiction        (Commission            (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)             File Number)         Identification No.)


13900 NW Science Park Drive, Portland, Oregon                 97229
 (Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (503) 641-4141



                                    No Change
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)




Item 5.  Other Events

     On January 7, 2004, Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (the "Company")
announced that Nick Konidaris was appointed President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company. The Company's press release announcing this event is
attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

         (c)      Exhibits.
                  ---------

                  99.1     Press release dated January 7, 2004.








                                    SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

         Date:  January 7, 2004.


                                  Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.



                                By /s/ J. MICHAEL DODSON
                                   ---------------------------------------------
                                       J. Michael Dodson
                                       Senior Vice President of Administration,
                                       Chief Financial Officer and Secretary





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit           Description
- -------           -----------

 99.1             Press release dated January 7, 2004.

EX-99

                                                                    Exhibit 99.1

      ESI Appoints Nick Konidaris as President and Chief Executive Officer

    PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2004--Electro Scientific
Industries, Inc. (Nasdaq:ESIO) today announced the appointment of Nick
Konidaris to the position of president and chief executive officer. He
will become a member of ESI's Board of Directors at the time of its
January meeting. Konidaris will succeed president and chief executive
officer Barry Harmon, who will continue to serve as a member of the
Board of Directors. Konidaris, most recently was president and chief
executive officer of Advantest America Corporation, a subsidiary of
global semiconductor test leader Advantest Corporation based in Tokyo,
Japan.
    "Konidaris is the ideal choice to lead ESI. He brings extensive
technology leadership experience in the semiconductor capital
equipment industry, a profound understanding of our overseas markets,
and a history of building strong customer relationships," said Jon
Tompkins, chairman of ESI. "The Board is impressed by his track record
at Advantest America where he made Advantest a key supplier to major
U.S. semiconductor companies. We are confident that Nick will provide
ESI both the strategic and operational leadership necessary to
accelerate and sustain growth."
    "ESI is well positioned to utilize its technology leadership in
the semiconductor, passive components, and electronic interconnect
markets," said Konidaris. "Joining ESI is an extraordinary
opportunity. I look forward to working with the existing management
team to deliver the highest value to our customers and shareholders,
to expand our business opportunities, and create a positive and
rewarding environment for our employees."
    Tompkins added, "On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank
Barry Harmon for leading the company through a very difficult period.
His stabilizing influence and strong leadership during the past year
has effectively positioned the company for the future."
    Konidaris brings more than 25 years of experience in technology
companies, primarily at Advantest America and Teradyne. At Advantest
America, he was responsible for all U.S. operations, including sales
and marketing, research and development, and supply chain management.
During his tenure, he established Advantest as the dominant supplier
to the U.S. automatic test equipment market. At Teradyne, he held
senior marketing management positions in several divisions. Konidaris
is a director of Ultratech Inc.
    ESI will be announcing financial results for the second quarter of
fiscal 2004 tomorrow at approximately 7:00 a.m. EST (4:00 a.m. PST).
The second quarter ended on Nov. 29, 2003. The company will then hold
a conference call tomorrow at 8:30 a.m. eastern time. The session will
include brief remarks and a question and answer period. The conference
call can be accessed by calling 888-273-9885 (domestic participants)
or 651-291-0618 (international participants). The confirmation number
is 714663. A live audio webcast can be accessed at www.esi.com. Upon
completion of the call, an audio replay will be accessible at
800-475-6701 (access code is 714663) or on the ESI website.

    About ESI

    Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (ESI) is a global supplier of
manufacturing equipment to increase productivity for customers in the
semiconductor, passive components and electronic equipment markets.
Our strategy is simple: Design great products, delight our customers
and deliver solid financial results. As an innovator in the
electronics industry, ESI has a legacy of technology firsts and
customer recognition for product excellence. The advanced electronic
devices you see and use around the world today -- cell phones,
personal computers, digital cameras, PDAs, even automotive electronics
- -- contain components that were likely manufactured with ESI
equipment. The company was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in
Portland, Oregon. ESI's web site is http://www.esi.com.


    CONTACT: Electro Scientific Industries, Inc.
             Mike Dodson, 503-671-7028
             Craig Stoehr, 503-671-7061