Provision of operational services, including but not limited to research in the field of pharmaceutical and similar products, including the improvement, discovery and development of processes, inventions, patents and designs, as well as the construction, maintenance and operation of laboratories and research centers; Commercial and technical consulting in connection with the trade in chemical products of all kinds; Trade in, manufacture, processing and conversion of such products; Acquisition and exploitation of relevant patents, trademarks and licenses; Participation in companies of the chemical industry of any kind; Holdings; assumption of representations; Acquisition, holding, encumbrance and sale of real estate; Provision of direct or indirect financing to its direct or indirect subsidiaries and third parties, including their direct or indirect shareholders and their direct or indirect subsidiaries; Provision of securities of all kinds for liabilities of such companies, including by way of pledges or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets or guarantees of any kind, whether remunerated or not.