The purpose of the company is to acquire, hold, manage, sell and finance participations of all kinds in other companies in Switzerland and abroad. The company may acquire, exploit, manage and sell real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and 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 has a direct or indirect interest, its direct or indirect subsidiaries, or companies in which such subsidiaries have a direct or indirect interest, whether by way of loans or other financing, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements, and provide security of any kind for their obligations, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees of any kind, whether against payment or not.