December 27, 2009

Biz Quizzard 300

Biz Quizzard hits a triple century with this edition and what makes it more special to me is that there has not been a single break since it started 300 weeks ago. Biz Quizzard is complied for and posted on Quinkie, an online yahoogroup dedicated to business quizzes and started by Murali Duggineni. Quinkie currently has 2600+ active members. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 21 - 26. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which MNC has signed agreements to purchase Nortel’s Enterprise solutions business for $475 million?

2. Which company has reached an agreement to acquire HSBC Insurance Brokers Ltd (HIBL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of HSBC Bank?

3. According to a news snippet last week, which MNC is launching a campaign called ‘Be Beautiful’?

4. Which brand from India will be the main attraction of an exhibition in the National Design Museum, New York, next year?

5. Which automobile brand is being advertised with the baseline ‘More than meets the eye’?

6. Which Indian company has acquired a 65% stake in Zambia’s largest coal mine Maamba Collieries for $26 million?

7. Which MNC has agreed to buy Chattem, the maker of Gold Bond medicated body powder, for $1.9 billion to enter the US consumer healthcare market?

8. Singer Beyonce Knowles Charter is ready to launch her debut perfume. What will it be branded as?

9. Anant Goenka, son of RPG Group chairman Harsh Goenka, will take over as the managing director of which well-known group company?

10. Which company last week appointed Rajan Kohli as its chief marketing officer?

11. Which Insurance company has entered into an association with the makers of ‘3 Idiots’ to promote its products?

12. Which MNC last week sold its stake in the telecom tower arm of Bharti Airtel to JP Morgan?

13. Which company is acquiring Uganda’s Rwenzori Tea Investments for $25 million?

14. Which MNC last week agreed on most terms about the sale of its Volvo Car unit to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group for $2 billion?

15. Which well known Hollywood actor has struck a deal with French wine and spirits maker Belvedere, getting a stake in the company in exchange for endorsing their vodka brand?

16. A US court last week upheld a patent violation ruling against Microsoft Corp restraining it from selling which popular product in the US?

17. Which well known brand last week entered the noodles segment with the launch of a new brand ‘Foodles’?

18. Which bank last week sold its point of sale (POS) terminals that accept the debit and credit card payment to First Data Corporation (FDC) for $80 million?

19. Which company has inked a licensing deal with entertainment channel MTV to launch a range of co-branded mobile handsets?

20. Which hotel in India has been conferred the highest rating for green buildings in the world – the LEED India Platinum Rating, making it one of the world’s largest platinum-rated hotels?

21. Which media company in India has entered into a content sharing deal with The Washington Post?

22. UTV Global Broadcasting is rolling out an action movie channel on January 1, 2010. What has it been branded as?

23. The Videocon group is getting ready to splurge on its DTH venture with an Rs 100-crore campaign featuring which actor as the brand ambassador?

24. The specialized division of which advertising agency has come up with a 360- degree, multimedia campaign, 'Delhi ki Beti', to create civic sense among Delhiites before the Commonwealth Games 2010?

25. Which business personality, along with his wife, is all set to enter the Limca Book of Records for being the longest serving active couple associated with a non-profit cultural organization?

26. Priyanka Chopra is the latest brand ambassador for which jewellery brand?

27. Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez last week threatened to expel which well known MNC from the country?

28. The India operations of which international media/entertainment brand will be wound up on December 31?

29. Which telecom service provider, in association with HelpAge India, is running a campaign (TVC currently on air) with the theme ‘Silence is not always golden’?

30. '22 Diaries’ is the new campaign (teaser ad currently on air) of which brand?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 300 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 20, 2009

Biz Quizzard 299

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 14 - 19. Hope you enjoy it.

1. In a move that marks its foray into direct sales, Google is planning to sell its cell phone directly to the consumers. What will it be branded as?

2. Venky’s India, makers of processed ready-to-eat chicken products, will soon launch a retail chain. What will it be called?

3. Which MNC last week agreed to buy US oil exploration firm XTO Energy for $31 billion?

4. Which Indian business group has acquired the assets of Germany’s Henniges Automotive Grefrath?

5. Brand Equity Agency Reckoner 2009 was released last week. Which advertising agency has retained its top spot?

6. Which company has agreed to sell its injectables business to US-based Hospira for around $400 million (Rs 1850 crore)?

7. Which business group last week made a foray into the global aerospace business with the acquisition of two Australian companies Aerostaff Australia and Gippsland Aeronautics?

8. Which company has been roped in as the lead sponsor for IPL team Rajasthan Royals?

9. Which company last week said it planned to buy US eyewear group FGX International for about $465 million?

10. Which Indian business personality last week received the ‘Order of Merit of Italian Republic’ award?

11. Which MNC last week celebrated 80 years of operations in India?

12. Who has been named Person of the Year by Time magazine?

13. Which business personality was last week conferred the 10th Lal Bahadur Shastri National Award by the President?

14. Faced with tough competition from Levi’s, Spykar Lifestyles is expanding into the business of cafĂ© chains. What will the chain be branded as?

15. Hameed Huq was last week named managing director of which Tata group company?

16. Karl-Ulrich Kohler has been appointed chief operating officer of which steel company?

17. Jaques Michel has been appointed CEO & country manager of the Indian operations of which MNC in the financial sector?

18. Which MNC has roped in Hewlett Packard (HP) India veteran Ravi Swaminathan to head its India operations?

19. Which international super bike manufacturer last week opened its second showroom in India in Gurgaon?

20. Who has been ranked 5th best CEO in the world by Harvard Business Review (HBR)?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 299 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 13, 2009

Biz Quizzard 298

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 07 - 12. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Maruti Suzuki, according to a report last week, will soon roll out a 7-seater minivan to replace the Versa. What will it be branded as?

2. Which company has entered into a contract with the state-owned China Post to distribute and clear goods sourced by Indian corporates from the city of Yiwu?

3. IT services company Mascon Global Ltd (MGL) is planning to entirely acquire Chicago-based mobile transactions company C-SAM. Which well known personality owns C-SAM?

4. Which company last week rolled out a concept car, designed by auto stylist Dilip Chhabria, for driving its new brand’s visibility?

5. Tata Group last week announced the launch of probably the world’s cheapest water purifier. What has it been branded as?

6. Which milestone was crossed by Hyundai Motor India at its facility in Sriperumbedur, near Chennai?

7. Which retail chain last week announced the acquisition of X-Cite, the chain of large format electronic stores of Impact Retail, a franchise of Kuwait’s Alghanim Industries?

8. Kaushik Basu was last week appointed to which important position in the government of India?

9. Which media giant will acquire Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV’s entertainment channel, Imagine, for about Rs 546 crore?

10. Leading global premium spirit manufacturer Bacardi last week launched orange-flavoured rum in Karnataka. What has it been branded as?

11. Which MNC last week agreed to buy a 19.9% stake in Suzuki Motor Corporation for $2.5 billion?

12. Vineet Nayyar was last week appointed chairman of which company?

13. Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India last week launched a 110 cc bike. What has it been branded as?

14. Which MNC last week acquired 50.2% of Sanyo Electric, the world’s largest rechargeable battery maker?

15. Which MNC has announced the signing of a binding offer with Sara Lee to acquire brand Ambi Pur for $470 million?

16. Which company has appointed Katrina Kaif as the brand ambassador for its home appliances range?

17. Which insurance company has adopted a new brand positioning with a new tagline - 'Faidey ka Insurance'?

18. Actor Vidya Balan is the brand ambassador for which mosquito repellent cream brand?

19. Which television channel has entered into a content deal with Yash Raj, wherein the latter will produce content exclusively for the channel?

20. Which business group is all set to launch a food and beverage brand, 'Movie Munchies' and its own mineral water brand, 'Spring', later this month?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 298 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 6, 2009

Biz Quizzard 297

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week November 30 - December 05. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which iconic US shoe brand has entered into a licensing and distribution agreement with Reliance Brands to set foot in India?

2. IIM’s CAT was in news last week for the initial glitches. Which company conducted the tests?

3. World’s third largest biscuit maker is acquiring the manufacturing facility of SS Food Industries (SSFI) in Himachal Pradesh. Name the company?

4. What unique distinction did Reliance Industries achieve on November 29?

5. Nestle has introduced its ready-to-eat pasta in the market. What has it been branded as?

6. Which company has emerged as the most admired marketer in India, as per a survey conducted by IMRB on behalf of Brand Equity?

7. Coca-Cola last week announced its foray into the energy drinks segment. What has it been branded as?

8. Fritz Henderson last week resigned as the chief executive of which MNC?

9.Tata Teleservices last week launched a new application that allows users to view live TV feed from various channels. What has it been branded as?

10. Gwyn Sundhagul, chief marketing officer and director at Tesco Lotus, Thailand, has been appointed to head which retail company in India?

11. Norway’s Telenor, the world’s sixth largest telecom operator, last week launched its services in India under which brand?

12. Mr Deepak Parekh will be stepping down as the chief executive of which company after a 31-year stint?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 297 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli