The company's purpose is to acquire, manage and dispose of participations in other companies in Switzerland and abroad (holding) as well as to provide financing in Switzerland and abroad. The company may establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of intellectual property rights, and furthermore carry out all legal transactions that may be connected with the company's purpose or that are suitable to promote its development or that of group companies. In addition, the company may participate directly or indirectly in group financing, in particular by granting loans to its direct or indirect group companies or by providing guarantees, sureties or other securities of any kind for their liabilities to third parties, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect shareholders or other group companies and are granted free of charge.