Chip machinery maker ASMI has removed CEO Chuck del Prado from negotiations with American peer Applied Materials, reports Monday’s Financieele Dagblad.

His place has been taken by CFO Noud van de Ven, the paper says.
ASMI has been negotiating a takeover of parts of the company with Applied Materials since June 2008.
Activist shareholders tried to have Del Prado sacked in May 2008 but a court blocked the move. He has now been sidelined for being a disruptive element in the negotiations, sources at the company told the FD.