January 31, 2011

Biz Quizzard 357

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 24 - 29. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which MNC last week announced the signing on of Sachin Tendulkar as its ‘happiness ambassador’?

2. The Shah family will soon launch GreatWhite switches, according to a report last week. Which business group do they own?

3. PepsiCo India is kicking off its biscuit foray with a test market of oats-based cookies from next month through which brand?

4. Which two-wheeler brand is being advertised with the positioning ‘Built to play’?

5. Swedish super sports car maker Koenigsegg Automotive AB has joined hands with Rahul Bhatia-promoted InterGlobe Enterprises for its foray in India. Which airline does InterGlobe promote?

6. Which MNC last week said it has agreed to acquire the assets of Chennai-based Preethi, a leading kitchen appliances company?

7. Which MNC has agreed to buy GE Money, Singapore, an auto loan and personal loan specialist?

8. Which MNC is buying US cancer diagnostics company Genoptix for $470 million?

9. Which firm has become the first Indian biotech company to come out with a new molecule, a therapeutic molecule – cardiovascular thrombolytic agent (clot-bursting drug)?

10. Hindustan Sanitaryware and Industries Ltd (HSIL) has rebranded which well known switch brand as Benelave?

11. Which company has signed a MoU with the Indonesian government to develop international airports at Bali and Java?

12. Shekhar Kirani has joined global venture investment firm Accel Partners. He was the India head for which global internet infrastructure security company?

13. Which business personality was last week conferred the Padma Vibhushan, the country’s second highest civilian award?

14. Which company has launched the website ihealthu.com, ‘India’s first health-connect website’?

15. Indian Railways is all set to launch India's first magazine for train passengers on April 16, marking the occasion of Rail Diwas. What has it been titled?

16. Which timeshare and vacation ownership company has recently undergone a re-branding exercise with a new logo and tagline 'It's a wonderful world'?

17. Which brand recently rolled out three new TV commercials for its campaign ‘Khushiyon ki chabi’?

18. Which MNC has launched an on-ground activity named the ‘Mobile Army’ for the upcoming ICC World Cup?

19. Which company unveiled its multi-utility vehicle ‘Venture’ in Mumbai last week?

20. Which MNC has hired singer will.i.am as innovation director?

21. There was an article last week on Melbourne Apartments, a new 84-unit low-income housing project in California. Which MNC has invested in the project?

22. Which country has topped the list of the most “over-regulated countries in the world” in a survey by Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC)?

23. Which MNC has hived off its stainless steel and speciality steels business into Aperam, a newly created company?

24. Maruti Suzuki India seems to be crossing one milestone after another. What feat has it achieved in 10 months of this financial year?

25. Which celebrity has been signed on by S Kumars Nationwide (SKNL) as brand ambassador for its economy menswear brand World Player?

26. Which company last week announced the formation of a joint venture, a new company called Media Network and Distribution (India) Ltd (MNDIL), with Yogesh Radhakrishnan, a veteran professional in the Indian cable and satellite industry?

27. Which MNC last week launched its new locally-developed petrol engine ‘SMARTECH’ in India?

28. Which company last week announced the launch of Genio, its next generation commercial vehicle?

29. The employees of which company in India are the focus of a new case study in Harvard Business School?

30. Ashok Soota last week quit as the executive chairman of which company?

31. Mallika Srinivasan is the new chairperson of which company?

32. Which MNC last week said it was buying Terremark Worldwide Inc., a provider of information technology services, for $1.4 billion in cash?

33. Which company last week said it would form a joint venture with Germany’s Bayer Healthcare to sell drugs in India?

34. Which brand has recently launched a campaign for its new range of "Flavour World Cup 2011"?

35. On the occasion of Republic Day, which advertising group has created a silent National Anthem for BIG Cinemas?

36. Ravindra S Singhvi has taken over as the new Managing Director of which Murugappa Group company?

37. Which MNC has named Marcel Smits as its new chief executive officer?

38. Which Indian company has entered into a partnership with Kowa Company Ltd of Japan, for cooperation in areas like infrastructure and trade?

39. Almost after a year of its global launch, which brand was officially launched in India last week?

40. Which brand celebrated 125 years of the automobile on January 29?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 357 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

January 23, 2011

Biz Quizzard 356

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 17 - 22. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Not sure if I have covered this earlier. RS Sodhi is the newly appointed managing director of which well known company/organization?

2. Which international celebrity has unveiled sketches for her new shoe line for her “6126” clothing brand, the name derived from yesteryear actress Marilyn Monroe’s birthday?

3. Which well known international business personality has joined hands with Mumbai developer Rohan Lifescapes for his first venture in India?

4. Pearson, one of UK’s biggest publishers, last week increased its stake to 76% and took over which Bangalore-based online education firm?

5. Anand Sinha has been appointed to which regulatory position by the government of India?

6. Which company has acquired closely-held Michigan-based Manufacturers Equipment & Supply Company (MESCO)?

7. Which celebrities have been signed on as brand ambassadors for Bru?

8. Which well known advertising personality has announced the launch of her own advertising agency, called Curry-Nation Brand Conversations?

9. Which business group last week unveiled its new brand positioning, called 'Rise'?

10. Which well known CEO last week announced that he will take a leave of absence for health reasons?

11. Which company has sold its entire stake in its internet service provider (ISP) subsidiary to broadband services company, Trikona Digital Networks?

12. Which MNC group last week named investment bank chief John Havens as president and COO?

13. According to a report last week, which retail chain will spin off its ethnic wear private label, Melange, into exclusive brand stores?

14. Which company last week unveiled a super-tough scratch resistant cover, Dragontrail, for gadgets?

15. Which MNC last week appointed Avinash Vashistha to replace Harsh Manglik as its India head?

16. Which company last week unveiled its new range of innovative air conditioners under the Purista and Invincia brand names?

17. Which MNC’s co-founder will take over as CEO from Eric Schmidt?

18. TN Kurien is the new CEO of which company?

19. Mr Surinder Kumar Jakhar, 58, last week died in a freak accident. He was the chairman of which cooperative?

20. Which brand is the most trusted brand in the country, according to a study by Trust Research Advisory (TRA) - a research company?

21. Which celebrity has been appointed brand ambassador by XAGE Mobile?

22. Which business group will launch its first indigenously built aircraft before March, at a price at least 20 per cent cheaper than an equivalent aircraft of Cessna?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 356 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

January 16, 2011

Biz Quizzard 355

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 10 - 15. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company has roped in Bhojpuri star Ravi Kishen and Bengali actress Rituparno Sengupta to endorse its salty biscuits brand?

2. Which company, backed by private equity player Apax, last week acquired Patni Computer for $1.22 billion?

3. Which retail company will bring outdoor sports fashion brands Quiksilver and Roxy to India this year?

4. Which MNC will acquire Denmark’s enzyme and specialty food ingredients maker Danisco for $5.8 billion?

5. Which MNC and Indian School of Business (ISB) have launched a retail academy, an initiative aimed at identifying and nurturing much-needed new leadership in the retail sector?

6. Which company, according to a report last week, will soon hit the market with a ‘fat spread’ with nutritional profiling mainly targeted at kids and christened ‘Astra Gold’?

7. Rajan Anandan is the new head of India region for which MNC?

8. In what is billed as the largest jet order in commercial aviation history, which airline last week agreed to buy 180 planes from Airbus?

9. Which MNC has accepted a $2.16 billion cash offer for its Taiwan Nan Shan Life unit from a group led by local conglomerate Ruentex?

10. Just Eat, the international online takeaway ordering service, has acquired a 60% stake in which Bangalore-based online food ordering and table booking service?

11. Which Indian CEO is part of six global CEOs chosen as co-chair of the prestigious World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting at Davos, Switzerland, beginning later this month?

12. Which MNC received 5,896 patents in the US in 2010, topping the list of the world’s most inventive companies for the 18th consecutive year?

13. Which company is all set to provide rural folks doorstep access to banking through an initiative called ‘Bank on bike’?

14. Which brand meaning ‘sign of great things to come’ in Japanese, will be launched in India next month?

15. Which company last week announced its proposal to acquire Imagine Showbiz Ltd (ISL) through a buyout from Cinestar Advertising for an undisclosed amount?

16. Dirk Meyer was last week ousted as the chief executive of which MNC?

17. Which well known company will undergo a brand revamp in April by removing the family name from its products, showrooms and service centers?

18. Which company has entered the breakfast food segment with the launch of a range of ready-to-cook breakfast mixes in upmas, pohas, porridges and oats, among others?

19. Which well known personality has been barred by the Securities & Exchange Board of India (Sebi) from investing in listed securities until December this year?

20. Which international retail brand is finally entering India through a strategic alliance with Tata Coffee?

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

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

January 9, 2011

Biz Quizzard 354

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 03 - 08. Hope you enjoy it.

1. The world’s number one smoking cessation brand has been launched in India. Name it?

2. Which textiles and apparel retail company has given a stake to its nearly 700 employees on its 50th birthday in 2010?

3. Which country’s first hybrid car, branded as “Yo”, was demonstrated to general public last week?

4. Which MNC is celebrating its “125-year journey of innovation and making life better” in 2011?

5. Which retail chain has launched its ‘Go Glam’ collection for the party season?

6. Which MNC has sued Nusli Wadia-owned Britannia Industries for trademark and copyright violations of its popular Oreo cookies?

7. Which company will launch India’s first 5-star rated window air conditioner in January?

8. Which well known company has been renamed as SML Isuzu Limited (an ad was released last week)?

9. Which country is planning to host the world’s largest gold factory by the end of 2011?

10. Which brand is being advertised with the positioning ‘Separates the men from the boys’?

11. Motorola has finally been split into two entities. What have they been named as?

12. Which company last week announced the launch of its biggest global brand, Sensodyne toothpaste, in India?

13. Which MNC has agreed to buy US-based wireless networking firm Atheros Communications for $3.2 billion?

14. Venki Padmanabhan has been elevated to the position of CEO of which automobile company?

15. Which well known personality is behind Tenvic, a start-up venture with focus on promoting sports education and training at mainstream schools across India?

16. Which global IT strategies and solutions provider has acquired Sierra Atlantic, a California-based offshore enterprise application and outsourced product developer?

17. Samsonite will be entering the Rs 1,500-crore ladies handbag market next month. What has the range been branded as?

18. Which international chain last week unveiled a new logo, infuriating many loyal customers?

19. Mr Atul Maheswari, 55, passed away in Gurgaon last week. He was the chairperson and managing director of which publication group?

20. Which celebrity has been signed on by ICICI Prudential Life Insurance as its brand ambassador?

21. Which MNC will acquire majority stake in APW President Systems, a Bangalore-based manufacturer of racks and enclosure systems, mainly for the information technology and telecom sectors?

22. Who has been signed on as the first brand ambassador for beverage brand Mountain Dew?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 354 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

January 2, 2011

Biz Quizzard 353

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 27 - January 01. Hope you enjoy it.

1. The Chinese government’s official film production company recently gave its backing to the film “Gold Struck”. What is unique about the movie?

2. Which entertainment giant has sold Harmonix Music Systems, the maker of ‘Rock Band’ video game, to investment firm Columbus Nova LLC for an undisclosed amount?

3. Sanjeev Aga will step down as the CEO of which company on March 31, 2011?

4. Which company last week acquired 76% stake each in Bachi Shoes India (BSIPL) and Euro Shoe Components (ESCPL)?

5. The Turkey unit of which MNC has agreed to buy a 51% stake in Turkish chocolate and confectionary makers Dogan and Balaben Gida?

6. ‘Schmoo’ produced by two young Asian entrepreneurs Laurence Nair-Price and Hayley Hadfield, goes on sale in Harrods from January. What is ‘Schmoo’?

7. Which Chandigarh-based pharma company has acquired US-based over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic drug manufacturer ActivOn for $22 million (about Rs 99 crore)?

8. Which MNC last week unveiled India’s first Microsoft Windows Phone 7 smart phone HD7?

9. Which MNC retailer last week opened its first store in India?

10. Which business group last week acquired the iconic Grosvenor House Hotel in London for Rs 3250 crore?

11. Which index was last week launched by BSE and Taqwaa Advisory and Shariah Investment Solutions (TASIS)?

12. Which site has surpassed Google for the first time as the most visited website in the United States for most of 2010?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizard 353 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli