The company's purpose is to acquire, hold, manage, sell, trade and finance participations in other companies. The company may establish branches and found or acquire subsidiaries, acquire, manage, hold and sell participations in other companies, and conduct all business directly or indirectly related to the aforementioned purposes. The company may freely invest its own funds within the framework of the applicable laws and dispose of investments made, as well as acquire, encumber, manage and dispose of real estate and properties in Switzerland. It may also provide financing for its own account or for third-party account, and grant guarantees and warranties for subsidiaries and third parties. The company may grant direct or indirect financing to third parties or companies in which it is directly or indirectly invested, as well as to direct or indirect shareholders or companies in which such shareholders are directly or indirectly invested, whether through loans and/or other financing, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements. The company may provide collateral of any kind for its own liabilities or the liabilities of the aforementioned persons, including through pledges, assignments, fiduciary transfers, guarantees of any kind, or offset obligations, whether for consideration or not, even if such financing, collateral or guarantees are in the exclusive interest of third parties or companies in which it is directly or indirectly invested, or of direct or indirect shareholders or companies in which such shareholders are directly or indirectly invested.