The acquisition, sale, holding, administration and control of participations in all commercial, industrial and financial enterprises in Switzerland and abroad, as well as all investments and all securities or real estate transactions directly or indirectly related to this purpose (excluding the acquisition of participations in companies holding residential real estate in Switzerland). The Company may, on its own account or on behalf of third parties, carry out all financial, commercial or industrial transactions directly or indirectly related to its purpose and may, in any form, be interested in all similar enterprises (excluding the acquisition of participations in companies holding residential real estate in Switzerland). The Company may associate with other companies having an identical or similar purpose. Furthermore, the Company may, in Switzerland and/or abroad: carry out any financial, commercial or industrial activity - whether movable or immovable (excluding the acquisition of participations in companies holding residential real estate in Switzerland) - and conclude any contract and carry out any other activity suitable for developing its purpose or directly or indirectly related to it; create branches or subsidiaries; participate in any enterprise having a direct or indirect relationship with its purpose; and grant loans and provide guarantees, including by way of pledge or transfer of ownership of the Company's assets for the purpose of security and by way of guarantees of any kind, for consideration or not, as well as direct or indirect financing, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements, to direct or indirect subsidiaries, direct or indirect shareholders and their direct or indirect subsidiaries, or to third parties. The Company is part of a group of companies and may, as such, take into account the interests of this group in pursuing its purpose.