New US Director of Sales appointed by Ultra Low Power RF specialist Nordic Semiconductor

San Jose, CA – March 26, 2008 – Nordic Semiconductor ASA (OSE: NOD) today announces that J. Darren O’Donnell has been appointed as Director of Sales, Americas. While Nordic has operated a local San Jose, CA-based operation for over a year, this is the first director-level appointment specifically for the Americas. O’Donnell will lead Nordic’s existing sales and field applications engineers together with the company’s two US-based distributors, Symmetry Electronics, and Nu Horizons; and technical sales engineering representative SC Cubed.

O’Donnell has over two decades experience in the US and global electronics industry. Previous roles include senior positions in manufacturing and distribution companies.

　　O’Donnell is no stranger to Nordic’s Ultra Low Power (ULP) wireless technology. While a director of Symmetry Electronics, he was responsible for adding Nordic Semiconductor’s ULP 2.4GHz RF transceivers to the Hawthorne, CA-based distributor’s portfolio in January 2003.

　　In his new role, O’Donnell is tasked with ensuring that the customer base is expanded and the existing customers are fully supported. He will ensure Nordic’s own staff focus on key accounts while distribution partners look after all other valued customers. 

　　“While much of the volume production of electronics has moved to the Far East, the US is still the leader in electronics design, generating 60 to 70 percent of new designs, and will remain in that position for the foreseeable future,” says O’Donnell. “Nordic’s proprietary ULP wireless devices and its membership of the group developing Ultra Low Power Bluetooth technology means it is perfectly positioned to offer leading-edge ULP RF solutions to US design engineers looking to genuinely differentiate their products.

　　“And we are not just about innovative silicon,” O’Donnell continues. “We are about making ULP wireless connectivity as technically painless as it is possible to make it by supplying chips, development tools, communication software and complete reference designs. For example, our latest product, the single-chip nRF24LU1 2.4GHz transceiver, enables the implementation of ultra-compact, high performance USB dongles for wireless peripherals. The nRF24LU1 comes complete with a fully-functional reference design, development tools and software.”

　　“We are delighted to have Darren as a member of the Americas team,” adds Geir Langeland, Nordic’s Director of Sales & Marketing. “He brings unique and in-depth knowledge of the American market to supplement our existing US engineering expertise. This is an exciting time for Nordic as we are gaining traction in this market and need a high-caliber person who can really demonstrate to engineers and their senior managers at the highest level the market-leading benefits of our proprietary and ULP Bluetooth wireless technologies. Darren is that person.”