Activities in the financial sector, such as advising individuals and companies, asset management, consulting and support of distribution structures, in particular in Switzerland and Europe, buying, selling and managing participations of all kinds as well as related coordination, financing and management tasks; can acquire, manage and exploit industrial property rights and know-how, participate in other companies, acquire, encumber, sell and manage real estate, provide financing for its own account or for the account of third parties, and grant guarantees and sureties for subsidiaries and third parties.