The company's purpose is to acquire participations, in any form, in other companies, as well as to manage, control and develop these participations, excluding all operations prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Foreigners (LFAIE). The company may carry out all industrial and commercial operations in Switzerland and abroad. The company may also purchase, sell, register and exploit intangible assets in Switzerland and abroad, including patents, rights attached to patents and trademarks, as well as the acquisition and sale of licenses related to such rights. The company has the power to take interests in any form in all enterprises or companies with an identical or similar purpose, or which are likely to promote its corporate purpose by creating new companies or enterprises, contributions, subscriptions, or purchases of securities and participations or social rights, mergers or associations, excluding all operations prohibited by the LFAIE. The company may, on its own account or on behalf of third parties, carry out all financial, commercial, industrial, movable and immovable operations directly or indirectly related to its purpose, excluding those prohibited by the LFAIE. The company may execute financing operations, grant loans to third parties as well as to group companies and direct or indirect shareholders of the company, and grant securities of any kind for its own commitments or for the commitments of the aforementioned companies vis-à-vis third parties, including pledges, transfers of securities and guarantees, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of the aforementioned companies and are granted without the company receiving remuneration in return. Furthermore, it may conclude cash pooling contracts (centralized treasury management) with other group companies. Finally, the company may establish branches in Switzerland and abroad.