The purpose of the company is to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of participations in companies of all kinds in Switzerland and abroad. The company may provide management services to its subsidiaries. The company may acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and carry out all legal transactions that may be connected with the purpose of the company or that are suitable for promoting its development or that of group companies. Furthermore, the company may participate directly or indirectly in financings, in particular by granting loans to its direct or indirect companies or other group companies or by providing guarantees, sureties or other securities of any kind for their liabilities to third parties, even if such loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect shareholders or other group companies and are granted free of charge.