The company's purpose is the acquisition, holding, administration and disposal of participations in other companies in Switzerland and abroad. The company may participate in other companies and acquire, operate, manage and sell real estate and intellectual property rights, establish subsidiaries and branches in Switzerland and abroad, and perform all legal acts that the company's purpose may entail or that are likely to promote its development or that of its group companies, except for operations prohibited by the LFAIE. Furthermore, the company may participate directly or indirectly in the financing of the group, in particular by granting loans to its direct or indirect associates or other group companies, or by granting guarantees, pledges or other securities of any kind to third parties, even if these loans or securities are in the exclusive interest of its direct or indirect associates or other group companies, or even gratuitously, provided that these loans are part of the company's purpose.