The purposes of the company are: acquisition and sale of participations or other rights in legal entities, companies and businesses, collaboration with and management of such legal entities, companies and businesses; acquisition, commercial exploitation and sale of intellectual and/or industrial property rights, including know-how, patented or not, acquisition and sale of goods; providing or procuring the provision of loans in cash, in particular but not exclusively loans to legal entities and companies that are branches and/or subsidiaries of the Company or in which the company holds any right, as well as withdrawals or provision of withdrawals of funds from a cash loan; conclusion of contracts under which the Company undertakes as guarantor or joint and several debtor, or provides securities or declares itself jointly and severally liable, with or for others, in particular but not exclusively in favor of the legal entities and companies referred to in letter d above; exercise of industrial, financial and commercial activities (for full purpose see articles of association).