Conexant Elects Chief Financial Officer of Western Digital to Board of Directors.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 14, 2003

Scott Mercer, Seasoned Financial Executive, Fills Seat Vacated by

Richard Bressler Upon His Retirement

Conexant Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:CNXT), a worldwide leader in semiconductor system solutions for communications applications, today announced the election of D. Scott Mercer, chief financial officer of Western Digital Corp. (NYSE:WDC), to a vacant seat on the company's board of directors created by the retirement of Richard M. Bressler.

"It is a pleasure to welcome Scott Mercer to Conexant's board of directors," said Dwight W. Decker, Conexant's chairman and chief executive officer. "I am confident that Scott's credentials as a seasoned financial executive, coupled with a solid background in the personal computer industry, will be a valuable benefit to Conexant's management team and shareowners. We look forward to his contributions as Conexant prepares to begin operations as a separate company focused exclusively on the broadband communications market. I also want to thank Richard Bressler for his valuable guidance since Conexant's inception as a public company in 1999, and wish him the best moving forward."

Conexant expects to separate its Broadband Communications and Mindspeed Technologies(TM) businesses into two independent publicly traded companies on June 27, 2003.

Mercer originally joined Western Digital in 1991 and served as the company's chief financial officer and administrative officer for five years. He rejoined the company in October 2001 after serving in senior management positions at Dell Computer Corp. for four years.

At Dell, Mercer was a vice president responsible for product development and product marketing for desktop and notebook product lines. He became vice president of finance for Dell's Relationship Group and later was appointed vice president of finance for United Kingdom Operations.

Mercer served as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Businessland Inc. Prior to that, he was controller and then vice president and chief financial officer of LSI Logic Corp. He also spent nearly six years with Price Waterhouse providing a range of services including auditing and consulting in mergers and acquisitions.

Mercer holds a bachelor's degree in accounting from California Polytechnic University, Pomona.

About Conexant

Conexant Systems, Inc., a worldwide leader in semiconductor system solutions for communications applications, leverages its expertise in mixed-signal processing to deliver integrated systems and semiconductor products through two separate businesses.

The Broadband Communications business develops and delivers integrated semiconductor solutions that enable digital entertainment and information networks for the home and small office. Its product portfolio includes the building blocks required for bridging cable, satellite, terrestrial data and digital video networks.

Mindspeed Technologies(TM), the company's Internet infrastructure business, designs, develops and sells semiconductor networking solutions for communications applications in enterprise, access, metropolitan and wide area networks. Conexant is headquartered in Newport Beach, Calif. To learn more, visit us at www.conexant.com or www.mindspeed.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This news release contains statements relating to future results of Conexant (including certain projections and business trends) that are "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those projected as a result of certain risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the cyclical nature of the semiconductor industry and the markets addressed by the company's and its customers' products; demand for and market acceptance of new and existing products; successful development of new products; the timing of new product introductions; the availability of manufacturing capacity; pricing pressures and other competitive factors; changes in product mix; product obsolescence; the ability to develop and implement new technologies and to obtain protection for the related intellectual property; the successful implementation of the company's expense reduction and restructuring initiatives; the successful separation of the company's Broadband Communications and Mindspeed Technologies(TM) businesses; the ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; and the uncertainties of litigation, as well as other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in the company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Note to Editors: Conexant and Mindspeed are trademarks of Conexant Systems, Inc. Other brands and names contained in this release are the property of their respective owners.