Communication with Stakeholders Communication with Stakeholders

Advantest implements the following types of communication with stakeholders.

Dialog with Shareholders and Investors

Shareholdersʼ Meeting

Advantest views the ordinary general meeting of shareholders (which constitutes the company’s highest decision-making body) as also providing an important opportunity for dialog with all of the company’s shareholders. We actively welcome questions from shareholders, and strive to reply to them in a considerate, easy-to-understand manner, endeavoring to help shareholders understand the measures that we implement in order to enhance the company’s value.

At Advantest’s 74th ordinary general meeting of shareholders, which was held in June 2016, the following proposals were all approved as submitted:

• Proposal: Appointment of six directors (excluding directors serving as Audit and Supervisory Committee Members)

Question and answer session in
progress at the shareholders meeting

A total of six questions were received from shareholders over the course of the ordinary general meeting of shareholders, all of which received replies from the Chairman or from the responsible directors. The ordinary general meeting of shareholders was followed by a social event, which combined displays of the company’s products and business development plans with the provision of direct explanations by Advantest directors, in an effort to strengthen dialog with participating shareholders.

IR activities

To fulfill the company’s duty to demonstrate the company’s accountability to shareholders and investors, and to further increase the level of trust placed in the company, Advantest has formulated an IR Basic Policy, and is working to foster more intensive communication with shareholders and investors under the direction of our CEO.
As regards the overall strategy for IR activities, Advantest discloses important information appropriately in order to ensure fair, thorough disclosure to shareholders and investors both in Japan and overseas. IR activities are implemented through designated IR spokespersons, including the CEO, Corporate Vice President, CFO, Executive Vice President and Vice President in Corporate Relations Group and IR personnel. Great care is taken to ensure that IR spokespersons do not disclose information that has not yet been officially made public to small groups of shareholders or investors, and that there is no disparity between the information provided in dialog with different groups of investors and shareholders.
Besides the disclosure of information on the company’s website, another important IR activity is the quarterly business results briefings, at which senior Advantest managers give presentations. Advantest also holds individual meetings with domestic and overseas institutional investors (with around 330 such meetings being held in fiscal 2016) as well as business presentations, striving to help attendees develop a more in-depth understanding of the business environment within which Advantest operates and of the business strategies adopted by the company.
The useful suggestions that we receive from shareholders and investors in the course of engaging in communication with them are shared with the board of directors, and are utilized to help enhance Advantest realize sustainable growth and increase its corporate value over the medium and long term.

2016 VOICE Conference Largest Ever

Program in San Diego

Kick off of VOICE held for the first time in Taiwan

The 10th VOICE Developer Conference held this year was a turning point that spanned the pacific ocean from May 10 to 11 at a venue in San Diego, California before the conference on May 18 at another venue in Hsinchu, Taiwan.

This year expanded the shape for the largest VOICE ever held with 7 new sponsors, 44 newly participating companies, and 150 abstracts as well as the highest amount of sponsorship and growth to 50% in the number of participants from the previous year. In Taiwan alone, 300 of the 600 customers, partner companies, and employees who were invited participated.

The program in San Diego announced 7 tracks with 99 people as well as exhibited 16 technical booths. The sessions started with a greeting from the VOICE 2016 chair before Micheal Campbell from Qualcomm lectured about “Technology & Trends Driving the Internet of Things.” The event also offered a sensational lecture that excited everyone from international best-selling author and adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg. An evening event in San Deigo was held atop the USS Midway aircraft carrier.

The VOICE held for the first time in Taiwan offered 30 presentations. After greetings from each president of Advantest, President Colly Hwang from Digitimes lectured about “Making Differences Matter: A New Paradigm for the Asian Semiconductor Industry” at the keynote speech. Thereafter, the participants networked while enjoying festivities at an evening event.

Dialog with Suppliers

A scene from the QCD Cooperate Forum

To help build harmonious relationships with suppliers, Advantest holds an annual Suppliers New Year Meeting, Suppliers Reception and QCD Cooperate Forum with suppliers. Besides providing an opportunity for the presenting of awards that give recognition to suppliers who have made a particularly valuable contribution to Advantest’s business, these events also provide a forum for the exchange of views between suppliers and Advantest’s Chairman and Directors.

Dialog with Employees

As opportunities for the dissemination of the Chairman’s Message and for dialog with employees, Advantest seeks to engage in communication with employees at the monthly Morning Meetings and Meetings of All Employees which are held at each business location, the New Year Greeting event held in January each year, the Spring Labor Talks which are held each year starting in March, the ceremony to mark the company’s founding which is held in July each year, the Central Labor Negotiations which are held in September each year, and various social events etc.