The company's purpose is to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of participations of all kinds. The company may participate in other companies, acquire, hold, manage, encumber and dispose of real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and perform all legal acts that may be necessary to achieve the company's purpose. The company may grant loans and other direct or indirect financing to group companies and third parties, including its (direct and indirect) shareholders and their group companies, and provide collateral of all kinds for their liabilities, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees and sureties of any kind, whether remunerated or not.