The company's purpose is a) to hold and manage participations and all functions associated with a holding company, namely central management tasks, controlling, financing, and strategic management; b) to acquire, hold, manage, and dispose of brands, copyrights, patents, licenses, and all kinds of intellectual property rights, in particular to the extent that they are related to the company's main purposes; c) to carry out all commercial, financial, and industrial operations, including those involving 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 to third parties; d) to establish branches in Switzerland and abroad.