The company's purpose is to carry out all financial operations, including providing all related services for its own account and for the account of group companies; to operate as a treasury center for group companies and borrow, lend or provide collateral of any kind, including for group companies and grant loans or any other form of financing, including participating in cash pooling operations with affiliated companies, as well as providing collateral of any kind, for the direct or indirect benefit of affiliated companies (or third parties), in particular in the form of guarantees, pledges or fiduciary transfers of the company's assets, and this without consideration, on preferential terms or without interest. It may also acquire, manage and exploit patents, trademarks, know-how, recipes and other intellectual property assets, as well as develop or finance the development of processes and products. It may handle all business and carry out all operations directly or indirectly related to its corporate purpose, except for any banking activity. Furthermore, it may acquire, operate and dispose of real estate in Switzerland or abroad, excluding any operation prohibited by the LFAIE. The company may also create branches in Switzerland or abroad; acquire, dispose of and manage participations in all industrial, commercial or financial enterprises; participate in other enterprises, found, acquire or finance enterprises, carry out all operations and conclude all contracts suitable for developing its purpose or related thereto directly or indirectly.