The company's purpose is to acquire, manage, develop and sell participations in companies and financial, industrial or commercial entities, in Switzerland and abroad, in any form whatsoever, as well as to finance similar companies or entities. The company may, in particular: carry out any financial, commercial or industrial activity directly or indirectly related to its purpose, both in Switzerland and abroad; establish branches or subsidiaries in Switzerland and abroad; participate in any undertaking having a direct or indirect relationship with its purpose; grant loans to its direct or indirect shareholders as well as to any other company in the group and may also guarantee their obligations to third parties in any manner, including by way of pledges, assignments or transfers for security purposes or guarantees of any kind, remunerated or not; participate in cash pooling operations within its group.