The purpose of the company is the acquisition, management and disposal of participations of all kinds. The company can participate in other companies, 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 can conduct all business that is suitable for enabling or promoting the development of the company or group companies. The company can participate in group financing, in particular by granting loans to its direct or indirect subsidiaries or other group companies, or by providing guarantees, sureties or other securities of all kinds for their liabilities to third parties, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect subsidiaries or other group companies and are granted free of charge.