The purpose of the company is to acquire, hold, manage and dispose of participations in companies and businesses in Switzerland and abroad. The company may acquire, exploit, manage and dispose of 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 for promoting its development or that of group companies. In addition, the company may participate directly or indirectly 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 any kind for their liabilities to third parties, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its subsidiaries or other group companies and are granted free of charge.