The purpose of the company is the acquisition, ownership, permanent management, disposal and financing of participations of all kinds in other companies in Switzerland and abroad. The company may acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and furthermore carry out all legal transactions that may be connected with the purpose of the company or that are suitable to promote its development. The company may grant direct or indirect financing to third parties, including companies in which it is directly or indirectly involved, its direct or indirect subsidiaries, or companies in which such companies are directly or indirectly involved, whether by means of loans or other financing, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements, and provide security of any kind for their liabilities, including by means of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or by guarantees of any kind, whether against payment or not.