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                                                                     Exhibit 4.1

BE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRIES




                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT



THE UNDERSIGNED:

1.       The public limited company BE SEMICONDUCTOR INDUSTRIES N.V.
         (hereinafter to be called: "the Employer"), having its registered
         office and principal place of business in Drunen, for this matter
         represented by the Chairman of the Supervisory Board,

and

2.       Mr. Ir. R.W. BLICKMAN (hereinafter to be called: "the Managing
         Director"), living in Bussum.


HAVE CONSIDERED AS FOLLOWS:

a.       On 1 February 1984, the Managing Director entered into the employment
         of a division of a company affiliated with the Employer for an
         indefinite period of time. Since 1 August 1995, the Managing Director
         fulfills the function of director of the company, such in the position
         of Chairman of Management Board.

b.       With reference to the letters dated 8 May 1990 of ASM Fico Tooling
         B.V., 12 August 1993 of ASM International N.V. and 28 October 1995,
         signed by Dr. M.R. Bernau, the parties herewith once again wish to lay
         down the contents of the employment agreement existing between them.


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HAVE AGREED AS FOLLOWS:

1.       DURATION

1.1.     The Managing Director is employed by the Employer for an indefinite
         period of time. The employment agreement may be terminated by each of
         the parties subject to a notice period which shall be six months for
         the Managing Director and twelve months for the Employer.

1.2      Without prior notice being necessary, the employment agreement shall in
         any event terminate on the first day of the month in which the Managing
         Director will have reached the age of 65.

2.       FUNCTIONS AND OBLIGATIONS

2.1      The Managing Director is charged with and responsible for all
         activities assigned to him by law and the articles of association. In
         addition, the Managing Director is charged with the execution of the
         instructions of the General Meeting of Shareholders or, as the case may
         be, the Supervisory Board, in the event that these are issued.

2.2.     The Managing Director shall also carry out activities reasonably to be
         assigned to him by the Employer on behalf of the companies affiliated
         with the Employer, which activities, unless explicitly stipulated
         otherwise, will be considered to be governed and honored by the terms
         and conditions as laid down in this agreement.

2.3.     In principle, the Managing Director shall perform his activities from
         the principal place of business of the Employer.

3.       REMUNERATION

3.1      With effect of 1 January 2001 the Managing Director is entitled to a
         remuneration, inclusive of 8% holiday allowance, of NLG 650,000 gross
         per year, part of which, in the amount of NLG 558,340, shall be paid by
         the Employer in twelve equal monthly installments at the end of each
         calendar month, and the remaining part in the amount of

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         NLG 91,660 by companies belonging to the group of companies affiliated
         with the Employer, such in a manner to be decided by the Managing
         Director.

3.2      The amount of the remuneration of the Managing Director shall each year
         be the subject of consultation between the Managing Director and the
         Remuneration Committee of the Supervisory Board of the Employer.

4.       INCENTIVE PROGRAM

4.1      The Managing Director takes part in and is entitled to the Incentive
         Program applicable to the Management Board and the staff of the
         Employer, which exists of a cash-bonus and participation in the shares
         option plan, sufficiently known to the parties.

5.       EXPENSE ALLOWANCE

5.1      For the defrayment of expenses to be made in the framework of the
         performance of his activities, as well as for expenses which by their
         nature and amount do not require further specification, the Managing
         Director shall receive from the Employer a general expense allowance of
         NLG 500.00 per month.

5.2.     Other expenses to be incurred by the Managing Director in the framework
         of the performance of his activities shall be paid by the Employer to
         the Managing Director under submission of bills and evidence of
         payment.

5.3      The costs of the use of the home telephone- and fax connection of the
         Managing Director shall be at the expense of the Employer, under
         deduction of the prescribed employee's contribution.

6.       CAR

6.1.     The Managing Director is entitled to the official car made available to
         him by the Employer. The Managing Director is at liberty to also use
         this official car for private purposes, with the proviso that the
         fiscal consequences thereof shall be at the expense of the Managing
         Director.


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7.       SICKNESS

7.1      In the event of sickness of the Managing Director, the Employer shall
         fully comply with the obligations arising from articles 3 thru 7 during
         a period not exceeding 52 weeks.

8.       INSURANCES

8.1      The contribution for the medical insurance concluded on behalf of the
         Managing Director and his family members (based on class 2B) shall be
         at the expense of the Employer.

8.2.     In the event of incapacity for work of the Managing Director owing to
         sickness or accident during a period of more than 52 weeks, the
         Employer shall supplement the invalidity benefit to be paid in
         connection with this incapacity for work in accordance with the
         Invalidity Insurance Act (Wet op de Arbeidsongeschiktheidsverzekering)
         (hereinafter "WAO") to an amount not exceeding 70% of the most recent
         salary, as referred to in article 3 of this agreement, on the proviso
         that this amount shall not exceed the maximum invalidity benefit by
         virtue of the invalidity insurance to be concluded by the Employer. As
         long as benefit payments in supplement of the WAO take place, a
         compound annual increase thereof of 3% is applicable on 1 January
         following the commencement date of these benefit payments and
         subsequently on 1 January of each following year.

8.3.     The contribution for the "WAO gap insurance" concluded on behalf of the
         Managing Director shall fully be at the expense of the Employer. 80% of
         the contribution for the WAO- excess scheme concluded on behalf of the
         Managing Director shall be paid by the Employer and the other 20% shall
         be contributed by the Managing Director.

8.4.     By way of pension commitment (available contribution scheme), the
         Employer commits itself to pay a contribution amount equal to 24.7657%
         of the pension basis applicable to the Managing Director to the
         companies which at the time of signing this agreement act as pension
         insurers in respect of the Managing Director. The Managing Director
         shall contribute 40% to this contribution to be paid by the Employer.
         The pension scheme

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         will further be laid down in a pension letter, the contents of which
         shall be deemed to form part of this employment agreement.

         In addition, the Managing Director shall receive an amount of NLG 2,200
         gross per month as a compensation for the early retirement (VUT)
         entitlements he has had to give up.

8.5.     The Employer is entitled to set off and deduct the contributions
         payable to the Managing Director as referred to in this agreement
         against and from the salary payable to the Managing Director.

9.       HOLIDAY

9.1      The Managing Director is entitled to a holiday of 25 work days per
         calendar year on full pay.

10.      ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES

10.1.    Except for prior written permission by the Supervisory Board of the
         Employer, the Managing Director shall not perform any honored or non-
         honored additional activities during his employment. Not included in
         this prohibition are the activities performed for "Ennismore European
         Smaller Companies Hedge Funds".

11.      SECRECY

11.1.    Both during and after the termination of the employment -- irrespective
         of the manner in which and the reasons why the employment has come to
         an end -- the Managing Director shall be prohibited to directly or
         indirectly disclose any information, irrespective of whether this
         information is private and or confidential, that is related to the
         business of the Employer and or the companies affiliated with the
         Employer, to third parties. This prohibition does not apply to the
         extent that it concerns publicly accessible information in respect of
         the business of the Employer, nor does it apply in the event that the
         Managing Director should be obliged to disclose information based on
         (semi) statutory provisions.



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12.      NON-COMPETITION

12.1.    During a period of three years after the termination of the employment
         -- irrespective of the manner in which and the reasons why the
         employment has come to an end -- the Director shall not be allowed to
         be employed or involved in any way whatsoever, directly or indirectly,
         honored or non-honored by or in any person, company or organization
         engaged in competing, similar or related activities as the Employer or
         the companies affiliated with the Employer, and or have any interest
         therein or therewith, without the prior written consent of the
         Supervisory Board of the Employer.

13.      FINAL STIPULATIONS

13.1.    The foregoing forms the full representation of all agreements made
         between the parties and shall supersede all prior agreements and
         promises made between the Managing Director and the Employer and/or the
         companies affiliated with the Employer.

13.2.    This agreement and all disputes arising there from or connected
         therewith shall be governed by Dutch law.


Thus agreed, adopted and signed in twofold on 16 August 2001.



Employer                                  Managing Director

[signature]                               [signature]