The purpose of the branch is to provide consulting services and support to group companies in the areas of operational and business development, risk management and IT. The branch may acquire, manage and transfer patents, trademarks, licenses, know-how, copyrights, database rights and other intellectual property rights. The branch may participate in other companies of any kind, both domestically and abroad, assume representations, exercise any business activities and conclude contracts of any kind that may be beneficial to its purpose or are directly or indirectly related to the purpose of the branch. It may acquire, hold, encumber and sell real estate, both domestically and abroad, except for transactions prohibited by the Federal Act on the Acquisition of Real Estate by Persons Abroad. The branch is part of a group. In particular, the branch may grant loans and other direct or indirect financings to group companies and third parties, as well as their direct and indirect subsidiaries, including within the framework of cash pooling agreements, and provide securities of any kind for their liabilities, including by way of pledges on or fiduciary transfers of the branch's assets or guarantees of any kind, whether remunerated or not.