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