The company's purpose is a) to acquire, manage and sell participations in other companies; b) to take over control, coordination and management tasks for companies in which it has a participation; c) to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of trademarks, copyrights, patents, licenses and, in general, intellectual property rights of any kind, in particular insofar as they are related to the company's main purposes; d) to acquire, hold, manage, encumber and dispose of real estate in Switzerland and abroad; e) in general, to carry out all commercial, financial and industrial operations, also with securities or real estate, which are directly or indirectly useful for the pursuit of the main purposes; the company may, in particular, provide financing and grant guarantees and warranties for third parties; f) to establish branches in Switzerland and abroad.