December 29, 2013

Biz Quizzard 509

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 23 - 28. Hope you enjoy it.

1. According to a report last week, Coca-Cola India has roped in which celebrity as its new brand ambassador?

2. Which MNC has rolled out its new global campaign, themed ‘untameable’, in India?

3. Edgar M Bronfman, 84, died recently in Manhattan. He was the former chairman of which well known MNC?

4. Japanese carmaker Honda is phasing out which brand from India following weak demand and dwindling sales?

5. PepsiCo India recently laid the foundation stone for a new beverage plant, poised to be the largest such factory for the company in India. Which state?

6. QMobile, the largest selling mobile phone brand in Pakistan, has roped in which Indian celebrity as brand ambassador?

7. Which MNC has sold the majority of its global physical oil trading operations to Russian state-run oil major Rosneft?

8. Which US hospitality and entertainment firm will open its first five-star property in India next year?

9. Which MNC has become the second large global giant to exit India’s crowded and barely profitable mutual fund industry?

10. Which hospitality major has been voted as ‘World’s Leading Luxury Hotel Brand 2013’ at the World Travel Awards (WTA)?

11. Which international celebrity has signed on to help promote Las Vegas Sands' properties in Singapore and the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau?

12. Which lingerie brand has launched its new campaign ‘Fabulous, as I am’?

13. Which company has signed an agreement to buy Germany’s Kuepper group of companies for about €200 million in its second big European acquisition of 2013?

14. Which Kolkata-based company has tied up with Germany-based GermanPV for supplying solar modules for grid-connected solar park in the European nation?

15. Which company has promoted Paresh Sukthankar as deputy managing director?

16. Realty developer Kanakia Group’s hospitality arm has roped in which hospitality major to manage its upcoming 150-key hotel in Goa?

17. The Kellogg Co has crossed which sales milestone in India?

18. Which MNC is poised to sell more vehicles in China than General Motors Co for the first time in nine years, regaining its place as the biggest foreign carmaker in the world’s largest auto market?

19. Microsoft India has launched an application with safety features, exclusively for Windows Phone users. What has it been branded as?

20. Which brand set a new Guinness World Record at IIT Mumbai's annual college festival, Mood Indigo (aka Mood-I), held at Powai, on December 22?

21. Andhra Pradesh Paper Mills Ltd (APPM) has been renamed. What is the new name?

22. The Union Government has appointed Arun Tiwari as Chairman and Managing Director of which bank?

23. Which brand was the most popular social-media brand worldwide in 2013, according to Starcount, which compiled data across Facebook, YouTube and other sites to come up with its top 10 list?

24. Which Karnataka based Marathi daily has launched its Mumbai edition?

25. PepsiCo Foods has roped in which celebrity to endorse its Lay’s potato chips as part of a repositioning exercise to make it a more youthful brand?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 509 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 22, 2013

Biz Quizzard 508

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 16 - 21. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABD) plans to enter the US market by the end of next month with the launch of which brand in New York and New Jersey?

2. Kris Gethin, celebrity personal trainer of Bollywood stars, is planning a chain of fitness centres. What will it be branded as?

3. Which television channel has signed an agreement with Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for 12 films over the next four years?

4. Which retail company has entered into a partnership with Samsung to manage its after-sales service?

5. Which company has decided to pull down the shutters on its profitable non-vegetarian foods business?

6. The Centre has appointed Harsh Kumar Bhanwala as chairman of which banking entity?

7. The online avatar of which newspaper has been crowned the best news and information website of the year at the Ascendas Website of the Year (WOTY) awards 2013?

8. Which online marketplace is launching its own payment gateway, the second company to do so after market leader Flipkart?

9. Which news channel unveiled its full brand refresh last week, including a new logo?

10. Which MNC has offered to spend up to $1 billion to raise its stake in Indian subsidiary through a voluntary open offer?

11. Which MNC is all set to buy a controlling interest in a power plant owned by Meenakshi Energy, part of the little known eponymous infrastructure group, based in Hyderabad?

12. Which company has announced plans to acquire the masterbatches business of Plastichemix Industries Ltd. for Rs 135 crore?

13. According to a report last week, which deodorant brand has toppled Axe, a well established global brand of Unilever, to become the market leader in India?

14. Which airline has entered into an interline agreement with India’s second largest low-cost carrier SpiceJet?

15. Titan last week launched an exclusive store in the Indira Nagar area of Bangalore. What is special about this store?

16. Akhil Gupta has stepped down as the MD of the Indian unit of which private equity (PE) firm after an 8-year stint?

17. Which company is set to acquire leading Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) brands from Kolkata-based IFB Agro?

18. Which company has appointed Mahendra Singhi as group chief executive of cement business?

19. The Economic Times Brand Equity published its 'Most Trusted Brands 2013' list last week. Which brand has topped the list?

20. Parle Products has roped in which celebrity to endorse its largest selling confectionary brand - Parle Mango Kaccha Bite?

21. Which company has been awarded the prestigious National Energy Conservation Award 2013 for an energy conservation programme undertaken by its Vapi manufacturing plant in Gujarat?

22. Which MNC plans to acquire a 50% stake in the Tata-owned Trent Hypermarkets for $110 million?

23. Who has been named 2013's highest grossing actor at the worldwide box office by Forbes?

24. Which footwear company has launched a new campaign with the tagline ‘Shoes for a New Race’?

25. Which company has entered the premium rice market with the launch of Gold Seal Indus Valley basmati rice?

26. Which advertising agency has agreed to acquire a majority stake in RC&M, one of India’s largest rural communications and marketing services providers?

27. Which Indian sports personality will become the global brand ambassador for British multinational telecom company Vodafone?

28. Which company has entered into specialised refrigeration products for Medical & Healthcare Application, in collaboration with The Sure Chill Company Ltd. (UK)?

29. Which MNC said it will buy cloud computing marketing software firm Responsys for approximately $1.5 billion?

30. Coca-Cola India, in association with which company, has launched “Sachin 100 Coke Can Limited Edition Set”?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 508 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 15, 2013

Biz Quizzard 507

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 09 - 14. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which MNC has appointed former Nokia executive D Shivakumar as its chairman and CEO for India region?

2. In the first mass campaign ever in its category, which company has launched a television commercial titled 'The Gift'?

3. Which watch brand has launched the Carrera Calibre 1887, ‘Jack Heuer Special Edition’ as a part of the celebration of ‘50th Anniversary of Carrera’?

4. Which company has launched its women’s lifestyle category with a campaign titled ‘When you have everything and still nothing to wear’?

5. Which company has won the bid for the Indian cricket team’s logo sponsorship rights from 2014 to 2017 for Rs 1.92 crore a match?

6. Which company has signed a licensing agreement with California-based Sunkist Growers, one of the largest international suppliers of fresh fruits, to launch its citrus beverage products in India?

7. Which media agency has elevated Kartik Sharma as managing director, South Asia?

8. Japan-headquartered CAC Corporation will acquire a majority stake in which Chennai-headquartered integrated IT services firm?

9. Which company has announced the launch of its new retail trade platform, TradeEdge, developed in association with FMCG major Proctor & Gamble?

10. Which location has emerged as the most expensive retail destination in the country, according to a recent report by Jones Lang LaSalle?

11. Which company, along with retail chain Shoppers Stop, has launched British kidswear brand Next in the country?

12. Which brand has launched its campaign ‘Ghoomne’?

13. Which natural cosmetics maker has forayed into domestic retail, kicking off the venture with two exclusive brand outlets?

14. Which company has signed a strategic licence deal with Warner Music Group to sell its music catalogues in India, Sri Lanka and the other SAARC countries?

15. Which company has emerged as the country’s biggest company in terms of annual revenue, as per an annual list of Fortune 500 companies in India?

16. Which MNC has now emerged as the largest shareholder in United Breweries, surpassing its equal joint venture partner Vijay Mallya?

17. Which MNC has announced its entry into the Indian UV (utility vehicle) market with the launch of its premium SUV (sport utility vehicle) MU-7?

18. Avan Projects has purchased a majority interest in Om Pizza and Eats Pvt. Ltd, the Indian franchisee of which brand?

19. Chennai-based FMCG major CavinKare has roped in which celebrity to endorse its deodorant brand, Spinz?

20. Which MNC has named Mary Barra as its first woman CEO?

21. ITC has relaunched which brand with the positioning ‘Eat Light. Live Light’?

22. Which global credit rating agency has acquired Amba Investment Services, a knowledge process outsourcing services firm?

23. Publicis Groupe plans to launch a new global media network under its media services unit ZenithOptimedia by the first quarter of 2014. What has it been named?

24. Italian farm equipment maker Same Deutz-Fahr (SDF) Group last week introduced its premium tractor brand in India. Name it?

25. Who is the highest-paid woman in music, according to the latest annual list by Forbes?

26. SB Nayar has taken over the charge of chairman and managing director of which finance company?

27. Which celebrity has been named the new face of luxury fashion house Chanel?

28. Which company has entered into an agreement to buy out Elder Pharmaceuticals’ branded formulations business in a deal worth Rs 2,000 crore?

29. Which celebrity has agreed to buy a 13% stake in Hockey India League’s Delhi Waveriders team from real estate firm Wave group for an undisclosed amount?

30. Which MNC has named Krish Iyer as the chief executive of its India unit?

31. The ministry of finance has appointed CVR Rajendran as chairman and managing director of which bank?

32. Which company has emerged as the biggest wealth creator in Indian stock markets over the past five years, according to a study conducted by Motilal Oswal?

33. Which MNC has said its Chief Operating Officer Steve Mollenkopf will take over as the CEO?

34. DSK Motowheels, a Pune-based company, has tied-up with which MNC to assemble and market its superbikes in India?

35. Who has been named the most powerful celebrity of 2013 by Forbes India for the second time in a row?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 507 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 8, 2013

Biz Quizzard 506

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week December 02 - 07. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company has elevated its India MD Asha Gupta as group president of the Asia Pacific region?

2. FMCG company DS Group, which sells food and beverage products under the Catch brand, has roped in which celebrity as the brand ambassador?

3. Which company is acquiring US-based mortgage due diligence and risk management service provider Opus CMC (Opus Capital Markets Consultants) for $75 million (Rs 465 crore)?

4. Greenways Foods & Beverages has roped in which celebrity to endorse Notty fruit drink brand?

5. Which MNC has acquired Topsy Labs, a social media analytics firm cofounded by two Indian-American entrepreneurs, for over $200 million?

6. Which MNC has launched its new global campaign ‘Dare to be Brasilian’?

7. Which brand has emerged as the largest international fashion brand in the country in the last fiscal year?

8. Which Indian company has entered into a joint venture with Italian component maker Magneti Marelli to manufacture a new generation electronic fuel injection (EFI) system?

9. Titan Company last week forayed into which new product category under its Fastrack brand?

10. Biscuit brand Oreo has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador for India?

11. Viacom18 is launching which Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) in India?

12. MS Dhoni has struck a record bat deal for Rs 25 crore with two brands in sports and education. Name the brands?

13. P Madhusudan will become the Chairman and Managing Director of which PSU from January 1, 2014?

14. Radio taxi service provider Meru Cabs last week launched a new short-distance city service as a pilot project in Hyderabad. What has it been branded as?

15. Which company has decided to shut its computer hardware manufacturing business?

16. Adidas has unveiled new FIFA World Cup ball for next year's event. What has it been branded as?

17. Allied Blenders and Distillers (ABD) has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador for its Jolly Roger music CDs?

18. Which tyre company has launched its premium European brand Vredestein in India?

19. Which company has entered into a strategic partnership with US-based Pursuitist.com to launch the Indian edition of the site?

20. Which company has announced the launch of its iconic North American sweets brand Jolly Rancher in India?

21. Former Pearson Chief Executive Officer Marjorie Scardino has become the first woman to join the board of which MNC?

22. FII net inflows into Indian equity markets for this year crossed which mark last week?

23. Which MNC last week launched a sugarcane harvester specifically designed for the Indian market?

24. Partnering with Soundlogic and Croma for the technological and distribution solutions, which brand has launched its electronic gadget range, Fashiontronix?

25. An easy question to end this episode. Cadbury Eclairs ab ban gaya hai _____?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 506 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

December 1, 2013

Biz Quizzard 505

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week November 25 - 30. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which two pharmaceutical MNCs will merge their India operations under a single brand as part of efforts to boost business?

2. Jotirmoy Ghose has been appointed the managing director of which cement company?

3. Which digital content services company has acquired Godot Media, a Bengaluru-based specialist content services boutique that serves customers in the US and India?

4. Which company has launched ‘jaano toh maano’, a new investor education campaign on mutual funds?

5. Deepika Padukone and Imran Khan have been signed on as the new faces of which well known FMCG brand?

6. Doug McMillon will be the new CEO of which MNC?

7. Which business personality has acquired a minority stake in TravelKhana, an online food delivery service for railway passengers?

8. Which former CEO from the Indian IT industry has joined as an operating partner in Boston-based private equity firm Advent International?

9. In the run up to World AIDS Day on Sunday, 1st December, which brand is activating the 'One Share One Condom' campaign?

10. Dabur India has roped in which celebrity as the new brand ambassador of air freshener product Odonil?

11. Which cricketer has become the latest to be signed up by Adidas?

12. Which MNC has acquired Chennai-based Prizm Payment Services, a provider of financial services to banks and financial institutions in India?

13. Which MNC has named Citigroup’s Neeraj Sahai as its new president?

14. Which advertising agency will bring media agency M/Six to India by January?

15. Which brand is the world’s most valuable brand, according to Forbes?

16. Which business school from India has found a place in top 39 elite business schools in the world named by MBA employers, according to QS Global Business School Report 2013?

17. Which portal has unveiled its new brand identity consisting of a refreshed company logo and tagline ‘My Show. My Time. My Seat’?

18. Which brand has launched a new campaign with the positioning that it will help one become a ‘Bheem-stein’?

19. Cadbury India has signed a memorandum of understanding with which state that will see it set up its largest manufacturing plant in the Asia-Pacific region?

20. Nitish Kapoor will be the new India MD from January for which MNC?

21. Which brand has launched its new television commercial titled ‘Pyaar ki Special Bhasha’?

22. Which company has bought the Canadian high commission’s building in central London for over Rs 3,120 crore (£306 million) signaling the group’s ambitious overseas plans?

23. Which MNC has announced the launch of its digital campaign, ‘Wake Up’, to establish its new brand positioning ‘Find Better’?

24. Which well known brand has launched a new digital campaign called ‘Confessions of a bride’?

25. The motor sports division of which business group from India will join the inaugural FIA Formula E championship beginning in September next year?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 505 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 24, 2013

Biz Quizzard 504

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week November 18 - 23. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Heinz India has announced its association with which celebrity for its 'Complan with memory chargers’?

2. Which company, according to a report, will buy out Bangalore-based garment chain Coupon?

3. Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways has placed an order for 30 Boeing Dreamliner 787-10 planes. What milestone has Boeing crossed with this order?

4. Former US treasury secretary Timothy Geithner is joining which private equity firm?

5. Which Indian bank will become a “foreign-owned” lender, to be governed by FDI policy, following the go-ahead to its proposed increase in foreign investment holding to 62%?

6. The citizens of which country have emerged as the world’s most active Twitter users, according to a new research by PeerReach?

7. Which company has entered into a JV with Taiwan-based China Steel Global Trading Corporation and Singapore-based Mitsui & Co to set up an automotive steel service centre in Pune?

8. Which MNC has bought PrimeSense, an Israeli maker of chips that enable three-dimensional (3D) machine vision, for $345 million?

9. Which Indian broadcast company has unveiled its first corporate brand film based on its brand positioning and will be aired across the globe where it has its presence?

10. Which MNC has created an interactive video campaign called ‘Gear up buddies’ specifically to promote its products on e-commerce site Jabong.com?

11. Which super-luxury car maker last week introduced its exclusive range of branded merchandise in the Indian market?

12. Which MNC has acquired Bitzer Mobile, a mobile solutions firm co-founded by Ali Ahmed, Naeem Zafar and Indus Khaitan?

13. Which German company has announced its foray into the Rs 2,500 crore modular kitchen industry in India?

14. Which company has sold its wholly owned subsidiary, Singapore Mercantile Exchange (SMX), to US-based InterContinental Exchange (ICE) for $150 million?

15. Which well known fast food chain has entered India through a joint venture with the Everstone Group, a private equity and real estate firm?

16. Which company is acquiring Mumbai-based brokerage Antique Stock Broking and two of its subsidiaries for about Rs 30 crore?

17. Which MNC unveiled its compact luxury SUV ‘Macan’ at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week?

18. Which MNC, in association with Porsche Design, has launched a new all- touch Porsche Design P’ 9982 luxury smartphone?

19. Google Inc will offer a prepaid debit card that will allow consumers to purchase goods at stores and to withdraw cash from ATM machines. What has it been branded as?

20. Wellness brand VLCC and which celebrity have formed a 50:50 joint venture called YaP Yoga to provide yoga and physiotherapy services under the name Yap?

21. Canada Pension Plan (CPP), one of the top 10 retirement funds in the world, is joining hands with which business group to form one of the largest real estate finance companies in India?

22. Which global payment company has acquired Mumbai-based mobile payment startup Qubecell?

23. Which company is planning to launch the country’s first hybrid electric three-wheeler (auto) in the next 12 months?

24. Which actor has been signed on to endorse the first pimple clearing face wash for men from Garnier MEN?

25. Which MNC has launched a campaign, 'Help Women Get Online', in association with Intel, HUL and Axis Bank, to spread awareness among women on the benefits of internet?

26. Who has been named 'Business Person of the Year' by Fortune magazine in its annual list of top 50 people in business?

27. Hrithik Roshan has launched his own casual wear brand which will target his fans and others in India and elsewhere. Name the brand?

28. HTC has launched its highest priced handset for Indian market. What has it been branded as?

29. Which British bike manufacturer started selling its iconic bikes in India last week?

30. Amar Chitra Katha is launching a new title next week featuring which well known personality?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 504 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 17, 2013

Biz Quizzard 503

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week November 11 - 16. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which clothing brand has roped in cricketer Shikhar Dhawan as brand ambassador?

2. Who will become the first Asian to head the jury for Titanium, one of the newest and most coveted award categories at Cannes Lions?

3. Which MNC has announced the appointment of Anant Maheshwari as president of its Indian operations?

4. I have covered this earlier. Usha Ananthasubramanian last week took charge as the first chairperson and managing director of which bank?

5. Which television channel is rebranding itself with a new logo and baseline 'Correct Hai!'?

6. Which Indian company has announced the setting up of a centre of excellence for advanced learning in applied Bio-Sciences?

7. According to the latest Hotel Price Index (HPI) report by Hotels.com, citizens of which country rank 1st in finding best value hotel deals domestically?

8. Swiss watch brand Rado has signed on which celebrity as brand ambassador for Rado HyperChrome Automatic Chronograph Plasma Ceramic?

9. Which online retailer has forged an exclusive partnership with UK-based apparel manufacturer, Raised On Denim?

10. Emami has roped in which sports personality to endorse its premium health supplement Zandu Kesari Jivan?

11. Which company has divested its minority stakes in ethnic wear firm Biba Apparels and designer Anita Dongre-owned AND for Rs 450 crore?

12. Which credit rating organization from India is joining four others from different countries to launch a new global agency?

13. Which brand is the world’s fastest growing scotch whiskey in the past five years, according to International Wine & Spirit Research (IWSR)?

14. Sahara India Pariwar has launched mobile shops, a road-replica of Sahara Q Shops. What have they been branded as?

15. Which business personality has emerged as the most generous Indian in the inaugural Hurun India Philanthropy List 2013?

16. Which Indian company has entered into a franchise agreement with US-based footwear retailer Payless ShoeSource?

17. Marks & Spencer recently launched the world’s first M&S beauty department concept. Which location?

18. Sushil Vachani, professor of strategy and policy at Boston University School of Management, is all set to be the new director of which business school in India?

19. The performance marketing network of which advertising agency in India has entered into a joint venture with Smile Group?

20. Which location is the most expensive retail market in India, according to global property consultant Cushman and Wakefield's (C&W) report 'Main Streets Across the World 2013?

21. Which MNC has appointed Parminder Singh as the Managing Director of Asia, North Africa and India?

22. Which milestone has India crossed in terms of internet users?

23. Captains of India Inc and eminent personalities from across professions last week launched a grassroots people’s movement. What has it been named?

24. Siddhartha Birla, founder and Chairman of Xpro India Ltd, and Chairman Digjam Ltd, will be the next President of which industry body?

25. Which brand has launched its campaign on the social media with a video titled ‘Reunion’?

26. Which brand’s latest regional campaign features Tamil superstar Vijay along with Malayalee actor Fahad Fazil and Kannada actor Diganth Manchale?

27. Cashing on the Sachin mania, which company has launched a new campaign with Sudhir Kumar Chaudhary, one of the greatest fans of the master blaster?

28. Which MNC has unveiled a new global brand identity with a redesigned logo and a new tagline ‘Innovation and You’?

29. Which Indian company has decided to phase out its PC business?

30. Who has been awarded the CII President’s award for his contribution to industry?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 503 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 10, 2013

Biz Quizzard 502

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week November 04 - 09. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which bank has launched its new campaign with the positioning ‘Bank aisa dost jaisa’?

2. Which Dublin-based mobile marketing company has launched its operations in India?

3. Why was 10-day-old Aahna Modi in news recently?

4. Which Hyderabad-based pharmaceutical firm has agreed to buy Auctus Pharma for about Rs 100 crore in an all-cash deal?

5. Thorsten Heins will step down as the CEO of which MNC?

6. Which brand has introduced the world's first crowd sourced English font?

7. Which advertising personality has launched a new agency Whyness?

8. Which cement major has appointed Bernard Terver as the head of Indian subcontinent and West Asia?

9. Which telecom company has entered into a definitive agreement with the Warid Group to fully acquire Warid Congo SA?

10. Which MNC has brought its six television channels under one brand and launched a new campaign with the positioning ‘Believe’?

11. Google has launched a new online service aiming to connect businesses and consumers to solve problems or get advice on a range of issues. What is it called?

12. Harley Davidson last week unveiled its first all-new platform in 14 years at Milan. Name the 2 models, which will also be built in India?

13. Which Indian business personality has acquired a significant stake in South Africa’s Swartland-based Mullineux Family Wines, which sells some of South Africa’s fastest growing wine brands?

14. In one of the largest funding rounds for a consumer internet company in India, which portal has raised Rs 227 crore from Sequoia Capital and existing investor InfoEdge?

15. A Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 will be put up for auction next year. What will be its claim to fame?

16. Sunita Sharma has taken charge as MD and CEO of which finance company?

17. The founders of which Bangalore-based startup have been named as this year's winners in Social and Economic innovation of The Economist's Innovation Award?

18. Gustavo Martinez has been appointed Global President and future worldwide CEO of which advertising agency?

19. Watch brand Sonata has touched which milestone, in terms of customers?

20. Mars International India has formally launched which chocolate brand in the country?

21. Which MNC has agreed to sell its Jenny Craig diet business in North America and Oceania to private-equity firm North Castle Partners for an undisclosed amount?

22. Arup Roy Choudhury last week unveiled his first book ‘Management by idiots: A journey of real-life experiences’. He is the chairman of which PSU?

23. Which MNC has announced its new brand philosophy: ‘Because it matters’?

24. Which video-rental store chain is closing about 300 stores scattered around the United States?

25. Which city is home to the most number of billionaires, according to the Wealth-X and UBS billionaire census report 2013?

26. Who has been named as the most powerful businesswoman in India for the third consecutive year by Fortune Magazine?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 502 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

November 3, 2013

Biz Quizzard 501

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week October 28 - November 02. Hope you enjoy it.

1. The passenger operations at which airport, touted to be the world’s largest once it is completed, were opened recently?

2. Which business personality’s biography ‘Thunder Unbottled’ (I am not mentioning the full title) was unveiled recently?

3. Which business group is all set to launch its fresh fruit brand Saboro early next month?

4. McDonald's has said it was dropping which MNC as a supplier of ketchup?

5. Who will step down as chairman & CEO, Indian subcontinent at Leo Burnett, after a 30-year stint with the agency?

6. Which American fashion brand has signed on Priyanka Chopra as its global brand ambassador for next year?

7. Which Australian bathroom and sanitaryware brand has entered the Indian market through a franchise agreement with New Delhi-based Starmerc Infratech?

8. Another rich list, same names. Who has topped Forbes list of India's richest once again?

9. Pallab Talukdar has quit as the India CEO of which MNC?

10. Samsung Electronics has launched a golden coloured dual screen flip smartphone in India. What its claim to fame?

11. Ashish Khazanchi, former creative head of Publicis Ambience, has announced the launch of his own agency. What has it been branded as?

12. Dabur India has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador for its Chyawanprash brand?

13. Which country has emerged at the top, in terms of ease of doing business, in this year’s World Bank's Doing Business list?

14. Which destination has emerged as the world’s no. 1 region to visit in 2014, as per a list by the Lonely Planet?

15. Amul Kool Lassi has got a makeover, with a new product packaging and name change. What is the new name?

16. Which retail chain will soon open fine food hubs including a live kitchen inside its stores, under a new initiative christened ‘Epicuisine’?

17. Which company is acquiring Hyderabad-based Jyothi Dairy Private Limited?

18. Philips India has recently signed on which celebrity, along with Ranbir Kapoor, to endorse its range of LED products?

19. Which MNC last week said it had agreed to buy the consulting firm Booz & Company, bolstering its advisory business?

20. Lenovo has roped in which celebrity to help design and pitch its latest line of tablets, dubbing the actor a "product engineer''?

21. Indian-American entrepreneur couple, Satish and Yasmin Gupta, has donated USD 12 million to which university in USA, the largest donation in its 57-years of history?

22. Sanjiv Kapoor has been appointed the new chief operating officer of which airline?

23. Which company has acquired the India marketing rights for popular OTC skincare brand Caladryl from Valeant Pharmaceuticals?

24. Usha Sangwan has become the first woman managing director at which public sector entity?

25. Which chocolate major has roped in actor Arjun Rampal as the face of its new campaign?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 501 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

October 27, 2013

Biz Quizzard 500



500 weeks, 500 quizzes. Biz Quizzard celebrates its 500th edition this week. A big thanks to Quinkie members and everyone else. Coincidentally, if my memory serves me right, this week's edition also boasts of the highest number of questions in any edition till date.

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

1. Which Indian business personality has been ranked 4th on Fortune magazine's global list of top-50 women business leaders (excluding those from USA)?

2. Which business personality has retained her second position on the list for most powerful business women in the US, complied by Fortune magazine?

3. Which company has picked up a 33% stake in a company jointly owned by Reliance Industries and IMG that’s set to launch an Indian Premier League-style football tournament starting January?

4. Which auditing firm has forayed into the energy services business by acquiring a majority stake in General Carbon, a sustainability and energy advisory service company?

5. Which company plans to launch a completely new premium hatchback - code named ‘YRA’ - within the next two years?

6. Which Delhi-based law firm will merge with Mumbai-based Rajani Associates in a move to gain a footprint in leading metros in the country?

7. Stan Lee, the writer of Spiderman, Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Hulk, has created an Indian hero for the first time. What is he called?

8. Which company has launched two India-made premium sparkling wines `Chandon Brut' and `Chandon Brut Rose'?

9. There are no permanent enemies in business. Which MNC has announced that its DoubleClick unit would soon allow its ad clients buy ads on Facebook?

10. The tourism board of which country has launched a marketing campaign made especially for Indian tourists, with the tagline ‘Leave Curious, Return Inspired’?

11. Which company is making a foray into Telugu cinema with superstar Mahesh Babu, in a film to be written and directed by Koratala Siva?

12. Which MNC has said it would invest $50 million in a lubricant oil blending plant near Mumbai, its first in India?

13. Which city has topped the list of 21 best business destinations in the country ranked on the basis of socio-economic and infrastructure factors, according to a combined study?

14. Which Tokyo-based MNC is adopting English as its official language, joining a small group of Japanese companies using language to declare their global ambitions?

15. Which company has launched a coffee blend, India Estates Blend, exclusively for the Indian market?

16. Tarun Chugh has been appointed managing director of which insurance company?

17. Which business family is foraying into the healthcare space in the country and has formed a joint venture with founders of UK-based Healthcare At Home with plans to invest around Rs 200 crore?

18. Which MNC has entered the Limca Book of Records with its Care4Food campaign?

19. Which brand recently organized the 'March for Purity' walkathon in Bengaluru?

20. Apple last week unveiled a slimmer and faster tablet. What has it been branded as?

21. Musafir.com, a UAE-based travel portal, launched its India operations last week. Which Indian celebrity is a minority stakeholder and brand ambassador of the portal?

22. Which MNC has acquired the Indian advertising and communications agency, Beehive Communication?

23. Which brand has won a legal battle for ‘Kafty Glue’ trademark against stationery and office products maker Atul Paper?

24. Which MNC will close its music app, which was introduced with great fanfare six months ago but has failed to gain traction in the marketplace?

25. Which hospitality brand unveiled a new brand identity, inspired by the thought ‘make every moment magical’, and a new logo inspired by Buddhist mandalas?

26. Which MNC has emerged as the world’s best multinational company to work for, in a list of 25 companies compiled by human resources consultancy ‘Great Place to Work Institute’?

27. Private equity company Actis has bought a “significant stake” in which Indore-based pharma company for $48 million?

28. Which international bank last week marked its re-entry into India after five years by opening a branch in Mumbai?

29. Members of Tiger 21, a New York-based group of wealthy investors, have selected which company as the favourite stock pick in an annual survey of preferred investments?

30. Which company plans to run an exclusive chicken restaurant chain, to be called ‘Chicken came First’ (CCF), in India?

31. Which MNC has unveiled a new technology called uProxy that allows citizens under some regimes to bypass government censorship or surveillance software to surf the Web?

32. Which MNC last week unveiled its first tablet in Abu Dhabi?

33. Which brand is India’s most attractive food & beverage brand, according to the India's Most Attractive Brands 2013 (MAB 2013) report by TRA (Trust Research Advisory)?

34. Consumer products maker Dabur will soon enter the packaged milkshake market under which brand?

35. Which company is gearing up to woo smokers with an antidote - Kwiknic nicotine chewing gums?

36. Which company is planning to sell its bakery foods subsidiary, Daily Bread, four years after acquiring the gourmet retailer?

37. Which Indian celebrity has been appointed goodwill ambassador for South Korea?

38. Which UK-based property consultant has elevated Shishir Baijal as chairman and managing director of its India unit?

39. Which company, promoted by Alok Sharma, former president of Air Sahara, has applied to the ministry of civil aviation for permission to start a scheduled airline?

40. Which iconic brand last week announced the re-launch of its cooking oil range in Punjab and Haryana markets?

41. October 24, 2013 marked the 20 years of the second coming of which MNC into India?

42. Ronnie Screwvala will step down as the managing director of which company on June 30 next year?

43. Which chief executive has set a new record for corporate compensation in 2012 with a package worth over $2.278 billion, according to a survey by GMI Rating?

44. Who remains the richest Indian with assets of $18.9 billion, according to the China-based Hurun India Rich List?

45. Which MNC has topped the list of 20 most sought after employers in India, compiled by professional networking site LinkedIn?

46. Which steel company has entered into the retail segment with the launch of Panther brand TMT bars?

47. Which company has tied up with the makers of Hrithik Roshan starrer superhero film Krrish 3 to launch a range of ice-creams?

48. Which MNC has acquired image-recognition startup LookFlow to bring the technology to its photo sharing service?

49. Which company has produced the first indigenised chopper cabin for its joint venture with Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation?

50. Which American brand, that has made shoes for many US presidents, Millard Fillmore to Barack Obama, has forayed into India?

51. Which MNC would become the first foreign investor to own 100% of an Indian telecom company?

52. Which MNC last week appointed Sunil Mathur as its new India chief executive officer?

53. Which MNC has teamed up with eBay to bring the first Firefox OS-powered phone to India?

54. Philips Lighting has signed on which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

55. Which company is the only one from India / Asia to be featured in Science Magazine’s Top 20 Global Employers for 2013 in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 500 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

October 20, 2013

Biz Quizzard 499

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

1. American cafe chain Starbucks has started serving which Indian brand at its outlets in Singapore?

2. Hong Kong-based handset maker and distributor Sunstrike has launched its smart phones in northern India. Name the brand?

3. Which MNC has acquired tech company Bread?

4. The world’s fifth largest auditing and accounting firm has just reentered the country for the third time by roping in MZSK & Associates as its new partner. Name it?

5. Which men's grooming brand has launched its India-specific campaign 'Mantastic'?

6. Which company has joined hands with Dubai-based Riva Group of Companies to launch Excel Media?

7. Which company has sold its Hong Kong unit - a primary healthcare chain - to insurance major Bupa for $355 million?

8. Why were Eugene F Fama, Robert J Shiller and Lars Peter Hansen in news last week?

9. Which business school from India has been ranked 39th globally in The Economist full-time MBA Programmes Ranking 2013?

10. Which company has become the first in India to achieve turnover or sales of more than Rs 1 lakh crore in a quarter?

11. Which company has launched its first android-based tablet PC, App Star, designed for kids above 4 years?

12. Which MNC has announced that it is appointing Angela Ahrendts, currently the CEO of Burberry, as its SVP of retail and online stores?

13. Mr Hans Riegel, 90, died in Bonn last week. His company makes which iconic candy brand?

14. Which television channel has repositioned itself as a youthful channel with a new tagline, 'Stay Amazed.'?

15. Which brand is the ‘most attractive brand’ in the country according to ‘India's Most Attractive Brand 2013’, a research-based report by Trust Research Advisory?

16. Who has topped the list of highest paid actors on U.S. television by Forbes magazine?

17. Cycling event Godrej Eon Tour De India has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

18. GSK Consumer Healthcare is extending which brand from its stable into the biscuits category?

19. Which business personality has been elected the new chairperson of the Public Health Foundation of India (PFHI) for a term of three years?

20. Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL) is celebrating which milestone?

21. Which luxury fashion magazine has been re-launched in India by the Maxposure Media Group?

22. Which business personality is building an independent media organization, spearheaded by big names including ex-Guardian correspondent Glenn Greenwald?

23. Which MNC bank last week said it will discontinue its retail broking and depository business in India?

24. Which Canada-based e-reader maker last week entered the Indian market with the launch of four devices?

25. WinWinD, a wind turbine maker based in Finland, has filed for bankruptcy. Which business personality holds a controlling stake in the company?

26. Which MNC has announced the appointment of Deepak Mehrotra as the new Managing Director for its India business?

27. A Krishna Kumar is the new Managing Director and CEO of which company?

28. Which advertising group’s strategic communications and engagement consultancy, MSLGROUP, was named the ‘Best Corporate Consultancy in the World 2013’ by The Holmes Report?

29. Which MNC has launched a digital campaign called “CelebrityYou” for its brand PhotoReady?

30. This definitely qualifies as an out-of-the-box strategy and probably a worry for our desi celebrities. Which Indian company has signed on actor Hugh Jackman as its brand ambassador?

31. Which company has acquired the remaining stake in Wireless Business Services (WBSPL) to own 100%?

32. Which business personality is Forbes India "Entrepreneur for the Year 2013"?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 499 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

October 13, 2013

Biz Quizzard 498

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

1. Japan-based Line Corporation, a provider of instant messaging service, has roped in which celebrity to be its brand ambassador for India?

2. Which television channel is being advertised with the baseline 'Every story has a human side'?

3. According to the Kelly Global Workforce Index survey, employees of which country are the most committed to their employers compared to their counterparts in other countries?

4. Which MNC has kicked off the festive season with the ‘Hint a Gift’ television commercial?

5. Which Indian business personality was last week inducted into the prestigious National Academy of Engineering in the US?

6. Which company has entered the hair salon business by buying a 30% stake in Bhabani Blunt Hair Dressing, which runs the premier hair salon chain B: blunt?

7. Nxtra Data has appointed Neil Pollock as its CEO. The company is the wholly-owned subsidiary of which MNC?

8. Which company has forayed into the hydraulics business with the acquisition of assets of Wayne-Burt Petro Chemicals, a hydraulics cylinder manufacturing company in Chennai?

9. Luxury hotel chain The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has mutually agreed to bring its 25-year association with which hospitality major to a close, effective October 1?

10. This is a big and welcome step, given that some uncertainties had cropped up in what was a given. Who is the new chairperson of State Bank of India?

11. SR Bansal has taken charge as the new CMD of which bank in India?

12. Ayurvedic hair oil brand Kesh King has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

13. Arthur Sadoun is the new CEO of which advertising MNC?

14. Private equity firm New Silk Route has acquired a majority stake in which Mumbai-based café and restaurant chain?

15. Jeweller Joyalukkas has signed on which celebrity as its brand ambassador for its planned global expansion?

16. Private equity giant Apax Partners has acquired which IT outsourcing firm founded by four IITians, for $420 million (Rs 2,578 crore)?

17. Moses Harding, former executive director of Lakshmi Vilas Bank, has joined as the group chief executive officer of which infrastructure finance firm?

18. Which company has launched its e-book imprint whereby it is offering 21 e-singles by 21 writers at a cost of Rs 21 each?

19. McDonald’s is bringing which new retail format to India?

20. Who is all set to become the first woman chair of the Federal Reserve (the US’ central bank) in its 100 years of existence?

21. B Ashok has been selected to be the new chairman of which public sector entity from June next year?

22. Which MNC will buy out its Indian partner in their 50:50 cash-and-carry joint venture, which runs 20 wholesale stores under the Best Price Modern Wholesale brand in India?

23. Which brand has been crowned 'World's Best Beer' at the World Beer Awards for 2013?

24. Which business family has joined hands with Andrew Branagh to set up Berkeley HealthEDU, which will focus on developing and delivering high-end training for healthcare professionals?

25. Which company has become the first private insurer in the country to make a foreign acquisition?

26. Google last week announced the launch of laptops that are powered by Google’s Chrome OS in India from October 17. What are they called?

27. Mr Jagdish Saxena, 74, passed away last week. He was the CMD of which pharma company?

28. Which Indian company has been recognized as ‘Asia's Most Promising Brand' in 2012-13 by World Consulting and Research Corporation (WCRC)?

29. Low-priced Aakash tablet maker DataWind last week launched affordable phablets or tablets with voice call facility. What has the series been branded as?

30. Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL) last week launched what new innovation in the mosquito repellant category?

31. According to a report, Google TV will be rebranded. What will it be called?

32. Which MNC has acquired TenMarks, a mathematical education company founded by entrepreneur Rohit Agarwal?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 498 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

October 6, 2013

Biz Quizzard 497

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week September 30 - October 05. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which celebrity has been roped in as the face of National Geographic Channel in India?

2. Which company has closed a co-production deal with Ranbir Kapoor for his upcoming film Jagga Jasoos?

3. Which company has appointed Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as brand ambassadors for its kitchen appliances?

4. Which MNC has launched its all new super premium sedan Flying Spur in India?

5. Which brand has emerged as the world’s most valuable brand, according to the latest Best Global Brands report by corporate identity and brand consulting company, Interbrand?

6. Which business group has bought UK’s most renowned Oakley Court, a gothic heritage country house in Windsor, for 27 million pounds (Rs 256 crore)?

7. Which automobile company has sold its testing and engineering services company Defiance Testing & Engineering Services to US-based Exova for an undisclosed sum?

8. Arrow is advertising its SuperLuxe shirt. What is its claim to fame?

9. Which MNC will enter into a joint venture with China Resources Enterprise (CRE) to create a retail giant in China?

10. Which company has acquired French financial services consulting firm Equinox Consulting for an undisclosed sum?

11. Which entity is planning to set up a chain of 300 exclusive retail outlets under the Indian Republic brand?

12. Which automobile company has appointed John Edwards as the MD of the newly created 'individual products division'?

13. Which premium lifestyle brand has collaborated with actress Deepika Padukone to co-create a limited edition collection for women?

14. Which automobile company has partnered with the Being Human Foundation to launch a special edition of its scooter?

15. Which Indian brand features in Africa's top ten most admired global brands, according to a survey conducted by the African Business Awards?

16. Which two companies have picked up the title sponsorship rights for the Indian cricket team’s remaining matches in 2013-14 for around Rs 26 crore?

17. Kolkata-based Pressman Advertising got list listed on both BSE and NSE last week. Why did this make news?

18. Which company will be the title sponsor of the New York City Marathon in 2014?

19. Which company will acquire ValueSource NV, a subsidiary of Belgium-based insurance group KBC?

20. According to World Bank estimates, which country is expected to top the list of countries receiving remittances this year too?

21. Vishal Bali has resigned as the group CEO of which healthcare group?

22. Skoda Auto last week relaunched which brand in India?

23. Which MNC has acquired Flutter, a San Francisco-based company founded by two persons of Indian origin - Navneet Dalal and Mehul Nariyawala?

24. Which ‘all-singing, all-dancing’ burger chain from the US will shortly make its India debut?

25. Suhail Rizvi, founder of New York private equity firm Rizvi Traverse Management, has emerged as a significant investor in which MNC?


Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 497 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

September 29, 2013

Biz Quizzard 496

Prepare for Tata Crucible with Biz Quizzard. Are you participating in Tata Crucible 2013 and want to brush up on your current affairs? For the first time, Biz Quizzard is sharing its archives. Get access to one year of Biz Quizzard editions for Rs 1,000. 52 weeks (starting August 6, 2012), more than 1000 questions along with answers. For full details, please contact on rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com .
Sample question (Q 29, Biz Quizzard 438) : Which brand is claiming to be the first car brand selling its merchandise through Ebay.in? Answer: Tata Nano 


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week September 23 - 28. Hope you enjoy it.

1. H&R Johnson (India) has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador for Johnson Tiles?

2. Ajit Varghese has been elevated as Asia Pacific CEO of which media agency?

3. Japanese packaging machinery maker Omori Machinery Co will purchase a 51% stake in which Mumbai-based packaging solutions provider for Rs 200 crore?

4. Which Mumbai-headquartered arbitration and commercial practice law firm and Pune-based litigation firm Nehru & Co have decided to merge and form a new entity?

5. At Rs 56.3 crore each, who have emerged as the top-paid executives of listed Indian companies in the last fiscal?

6. Which company has elevated Pawan Goenka as Executive Director?

7. Which MNC has elevated Sanjeev Chadha as its chief executive officer for the Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) region?

8. Which telecom company has roped in Punjabi actor and singer, Gippy Grewal as its brand ambassador?

9. Which company has partnered with design firm iAccy to launch smartphone cases, imprinted with digital signature of master blaster Sachin Tendulkar?

10. Which MNC has agreed in principle to be acquired by a consortium led by its biggest shareholder, Fairfax Financial Holdings, for $4.7 billion?

11. Which retailer has entered the intensely competitive tablet market with a low-priced own brand product ‘Hudl’?

12. R Sridhar has quit as the managing director and chief executive of which finance firm?

13. Swedish firm SCA Hygiene has finally stepped into India. It is the world’s second-largest maker of which product?

14. SKS Microfinance Ltd, the only listed microfinance institution (MFI) in the country, has signed on which well known marketing strategist for its rebranding and repositioning work?

15. Which international magazine brand is celebrating its 125th anniversary?

16. Which company, in a joint venture with health science firm Saarum Innovations, has set up India’s first commercial bio-bank?

17. American engineering giant Emerson Group will buy which Pune-based company for about $450 million?

18. Anand Kripalu is joining which company as its CEO designate?

19. The Oil Ministry has roped in which two sports personalities to help government spread the message of fuel conservation?

20. Which company has launched India’s first coffee-flavoured carbonated beverage?

21. Which company has tied up with Saudi Aramco and General Electric (GE) to set up the first all-female business process outsourcing (BPO) centre in Saudi Arabia?

22. Which MNC is forming a $ 79-million videogame venture with Chinese company BesTV New Media Co?

23. Danish company JBS Textile Group is producing which international celebrity’s own line of undergarments?

24. Which automobile company has tied up with the country’s largest cab company Carzonrent to offer self-drive options in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore?

25. The Economic Times Awards for Corporate Excellence 2012-13 were announced last week. Who is the Business Leader for the year?

26. Car audio systems maker Blaupunkt has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador for India?

27. Which business school has launched its first hybrid model of executive education programme, in association with the Biocon Foundation?

28. Fiat last week made a foray into the entry-level sedan segment with the launch of a new version of its Linea sedan. What has it been sub-branded as?

29. Nokia India last week unveiled its much-anticipated 41 megapixel camera phone. What has it been branded as?

30. Which business school has secured the top rank for its Finance course among 70 major global business schools in the Financial Times Global Masters in Management 2013 survey?

31. Which MNC has reached a deal to buy online and mobile payments technology provider Braintree for $800 million in cash?

32. Which MNC has reportedly inked an Rs 10-crore per annum endorsement deal with Virat Kohli?

33. Who has been awarded the Fifth Deutsche Bank Prize for Financial Economics 2013?

34. Google has introduced a new search algorithm. What has it been branded as?

35. JP Chalasani has quit as the CEO of which company?

36. Which Indian company has bought US-based Econocaribe Consolidators for about $50 million (Rs 312.25 crore)?

37. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has elected Ravindra Kumar as president. He represents which newspaper?

38. US private equity firm KKR & Co will initially pay about 165 billion yen ($ 1.67 billion) for the healthcare unit of which MNC?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 496 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

September 22, 2013

Biz Quizzard 495


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week September 16 - 21. Hope you enjoy it.

1. The Advertising Standards Council of India has asked Bharti SoftBank to withdraw a commercial for its free messaging app Hike Messenger. Why is this unique?

2. A Dutch firm unveiled a new smartphone, called Fairphone, in London last week. Why is this making news?

3. Which media agency has appointed Anupriya Acharya as group CEO for India?

4. Royal Philips has extended its brand licence agreement with PE Electronics for its television business in India till December. PE Electronics is a subsidiary of which business group?

5. As announced earlier, Titan has forayed into the Rs 2,000-crore fragrances market in India. Name the brand?

6. Which company has tied up with RP Group Hotels & Resorts to manage five hotels in India and Dubai?

7. Which US broadcaster, that airs news, documentaries and other shows related to weather, is looking to enter India through a joint venture by the end of 2013?

8. Which business personality has retained the top spot in the new annual Forbes 400 wealthiest Americans list?

9. TVS Motor Company (TVSM) has unveiled a new scooter aimed at male buyers. What has it been branded as?

10. Which business school from India has debuted on the Financial Times ‘Masters in Management’ global rankings for the first time, securing the 19th spot?

11. Which entity launched a new chocolate ‘Dairy Dream’ in Mangalore on September 18?

12. Tom Albanese, the former CEO of British-Australian metals and mining corporation Rio Tinto, is joining which business group as a chairman of its subsidiary?

13. Which country inaugurated the highest airport in the world last week?

14. Tamil Nadu-based media publication Kasturi & Sons, which publishes The Hindu newspaper, has launched its first regional newspaper after 135 years. What has the Tamil daily been branded as?

15. Movie theatres chain Fame cinemas is being rebranded. What will it be known as?

16. The Trump Organization, led by US billionaire and property mogul Donald Trump, has tied up with which Mumbai-based group for developing the Trump Tower in Mumbai?

17. Which company has sold 74% stake in TN highway project to IDFC infra fund for Rs 222 crore?

18. Which company has introduced two wrist watches for men and women – Automatic & Opera - in the Kerala market to coincide with Onam festival?

19. I think i have already covered this. Siyaram Silk Mills has roped in which celebrity as the brand ambassador for their parent brand Siyaram's Suitings and Shirtings?

20. AirAsia will offer one million free seats from Kuala Lumpur to domestic and international destinations to celebrate which milestone?

21. Which MNC has tied up with IIT Madras, Karunya and Shiv Nadar universities to deploy its 'smarter computing' technology?

22. Which wind turbine maker will sell 75 per cent stake in its Chinese subsidiary for USD 28 million?

23. Which FMCG firm has entered the male grooming market with the launch of OxyLife Men Creme Bleach and a male professional facial bleach, targeting the men's beauty salon and parlour market?

24. Which California-based company has launched 'Face Match', a software that assesses the extent to which a photo on an ID used for online transaction matches customer's actual face?

25. Which Indian business personality has been nominated as a member of the board of trustees of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, an American think-tank?

26. Mr Eiji Toyoda, 100, died in Japan last week. He was the former president and chairman of which MNC?

27. Mr Hiroshi Yamauchi, 85, died in Japan last week. He was the former president of which MNC?

28. Anurag Batra of Exchange4media and investment banker Vikram Jhunjhunwala, who is representing a set of investors, have bought which publication brand?

29. Mr TV Narendran has been named as the managing director designate of which company?

30. This is a venture which should have taken off long back. Which business group is entering into a partnership with Singapore Airlines to launch a full-service airline in India?

31. A new bank was opened in China last week. What is unique about it?

32. Which business group has sold off its entire stake of 29.79 per cent in Norcros plc, an LSE-listed and brand owner of Johnson tiles and Triton bathroom accessories?

33. Which is the only Indian entity which has managed to find a place in the list of ten best companies for leadership in Asia, compiled by global consultancy firm Hay Group?

34. Nikhil Nanda has been appointed managing director of which company?

35. Which MNC has bought Mumbai-based Cheryl’s Cosmeceuticals for an undisclosed amount to enter the professional salon skincare market?

36. Which DTH company has roped in actor Mohanlal as its brand ambassador for Kerala?

37. The Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) has elected Ravindra Pisharod as its new chairman. He is the executive director of which company?

38. Which business group last week announced its foray into the higher education sector with the inauguration of its first engineering institution in Hyderabad?

39. Who has been chosen for AAAI's (Advertising Agencies Association of India's) Lifetime Achievement Award this year?

40. Which sales milestone has Maruti Suzuki Ertiga crossed in Indian market?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 495 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

September 15, 2013

Biz Quizzard 494


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week September 09 - 14. Hope you enjoy it.

1. The Sahara Group has entered into a long-term alliance with which business group to expand the Q Shop retail chain in Delhi through Super Bazar outlets?

2. Which company has joined hands with Andreas Froese, a German ecologist from Honduras, Central America, to build an educational-cum-recreational facility using PET bottles in Redhill, Chennai?

3. Which beverage major in India has joined hands with Tetra Pak, the world leader in food processing and packaging solutions, to introduce a revolutionary 'bottle pack'?

4. Which US company has agreed to acquire the parent company of rival Global Tower Partners for about $3.3 billion?

5. Which company has inked a 70:30 joint venture with Kenya-based diversified business house Sameer Group to tap the growth potential in the fast-growing African wellness market?

6. Suntory Beverage & Food has agreed to buy the Lucozade and Ribena drink brands from which MNC for about 1.35 billion pounds ($2.1 billion)?

7. Which MNC will buy electrical transformers and switch-gear maker Vijai Electricals for $200 million (Rs 1,280 crore)?

8. Tractebel Engineering has acquired Chennai-based Cethar Consulting Engineers. Tractebel is the consultancy arm of which French energy major?

9. Which MNC has agreed to acquire mobile advertising exchange startup MoPub Inc?

10. Apple’s new iPhone 5C will be available in how many colours?

11. Which MNC has launched the world’s first Cricket Mode television?

12. Which company has agreed to buy the Gujarat cement plants of Delhi-based Jaiprakash Associates (JAL)?

13. US-based Endurance International Group will be acquiring a part of which Mumbai-based domain name registrar?

14. Which company is set to create a splash in the country’s edible oil market with its olive oil brand Oleev?

15. Which MNC has entered the men’s skin whitening product space under its Dynamite brand of grooming products for men?

16. Which celebrity will endorse the new BoroPlus face wash range?

17. Which MNC has launched a new SUV version called ’The Boss’?

18. Indians have voted which city as the world's best city for doing business and for living purpose, according to a study by market research company Ipsos?

19. STAR India is launching a new English general entertainment channel (GEC) on September 24. What has it been branded as?

20. Pernod Ricard India has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador for its vodka brand Seagram's Fuel?

21. Which jewellery house has roped in Hasleen Kaur, former Femina Miss India Earth 2011, as their new brand ambassador?

22. Which company will acquire a majority stake in Hyderabad-based digital agency PennyWise Solutions?

23. Which company has launched an intermediate commercial vehicle, a truck, branded Boss?

24. Nokia released a low-cost device with which language capability in the country last week?

25. Partha Rakshit, proprietor, Partha Rakshit Associates, has been elected as the chairman of which industry body?

26. Which Indian business personality has been ranked 27th in the Singapore's 50 Richest List for 2013 by Forbes?

27. Which American inventor, audio pioneer, and founder of a well known company, died in his home in San Francisco last week?

28. Which hospitality major will be celebrating its 30 years in India this month?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 494 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

September 8, 2013

Biz Quizzard 493


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week September 02 - 07. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company is investing in an advanced modular product (AMP) platform, internally called ‘X4’, to regain its market share?

2. Its goodbye to another service. British telecom giant BT has pulled out which service in UK?

3. Which company has forayed into mobile gaming with launch of Tiny Mogul Games?

4. Which skincare brand has launched a campaign titled ‘Kiss and Make Up’ to promote its lip balm collection?

5. This is a big deal. Which company has agreed to acquire Vodafone Group Plc’s 45% stake to take full control of the US wireless business in a $130 billion transaction?

6. Which Srei Group firm, which acquired DPSC from state-owned Andrew Yule in 2010, has merged DPSC with itself?

7. Anuj Agarwal will be the new chief executive of which insurance firm?

8. On September 2nd, which business group became the first Indian business house to cross the Rs 6 lakh crore mark in market valuation?

9. Kolkata-based media group Anandabazar Patrika (ABP) has put which magazine on the block?

10. Which MNC has agreed to buy Nokia’s handset unit and license its patents for €5.44 billion ($7.2 billion)?

11. Future Group founder Kishore Biyani has come up with a new business model wherein company franchisees will visit customers to take orders. What is it called?

12. Hyundai Motor India last week launched its new compact car. What has it been branded as?

13. What has Google’s next Android version been branded as?

14. Which NYSE-listed firm has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held software company Actix for approximately $120 million?

15. Which MNC celebrated its 15th birthday on September 4?

16. Which pharma major has taken over the entire stake in Unichem’s Pithampur SEZ-based plant?

17. Which global real estate advisor has taken over real estate advisor company Lemongrass Advisors in a unique deal, reportedly done for the first time in India?

18. Which cosmetics firm plans to expand its presence in tier 2 and 3 towns with its mass brand – Street Wear?

19. Which UK-based auto magazine is all set to hit the stands in India by the end of September?

20. Which FMCG company has opened its first ayurvedic clinic near Kolkata?

21. Which watch brand has launched a television commercial featuring Swiss balance artist Maedir Eugster? (brand and sub-brand needed)

22. Swipe Telecom has teamed up with which well known youth brand to launch India’s first Quadcore, 3G calling 7.85” IPS display Tablet PC?

23. Which business group last week appointed Nitin Nohria, the Dean of Harvard Business School, as non-executive director on its board?

24. Which Kerala-based business group has announced its entry into the wellness foods industry with ‘Soukyam’ range of food products?

25. Television channel Colors has announced the launch of the Indian adaptation of The House That Made Me, in association with which brand?

26. Mumbai hotel Shangri La has been rebranded. What is the new name?

27. What is unique about the new Amul butter TVC?

28. Which e-commerce site last week launched a promotion offering onions at Rs 9/kg?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 493 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

September 1, 2013

Biz Quizzard 492



Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week August 26 - 31. Hope you enjoy it.

1. George Varghese has been named chief executive of which media group?

2. Which brand of Britannia Industries cannot be trademarked, according to a ruling by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB), India’s patent appeals board?

3. Joe King has been appointed as the head of Indian operations of which automobile MNC?

4. AK Bal, former deputy chairman of Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), has been appointed as CEO of which infrastructure and mining major?

5. Mr Neelkanth Kalyani, 87, died recently. He was the founder of which well known company?

6. Which consulting firm has appointed Pradeep Mukerjee as country head and chief executive officer for India?

7. Zee TV network is launching another general entertainment channel. What has it been branded as?

8. Nike has launched a new campaign “Possibilities” as part of the 25th anniversary of which well known campaign?

9. Which Indian company has launched what it claimed was the world’s first clinically proven typhoid conjugate vaccine, Typbar – TCV, for infants above six-months as well as adults?

10. Domino’s Pizza last week inaugurated its 600th restaurant at Vasant Kunj in New Delhi. The restaurant brings to India which new globally launched concept by the brand?

11. Southwest Airlines tops the list of world’s biggest low-cost carriers (LCC) by seats offered, according to a recent report by CAPA-Centre for Aviation. Which airline from India is ranked 10th on the list?

12. Which international drug firm has appointed Edgard Olaizola as the company's managing director for operations in India and Sri Lanka with effect from September 1?

13. Leading denim maker Arvind Ltd plans to launch an apparel brand next year, marking its entry in the Rs 2,000-crore organised branded apparel market. Name the brand?

14. Which celebrity has been appointed brand ambassador for Pond’s Gold Radiance?

15. Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd (M&M) has crossed which milestone mark in small commercial vehicles (SCVs) sales in India?

16. Who is the world's top-earning celebrity, according to a new Forbes list?

17. Which MNC has bought image search specialty startup IQ Engines to add the company's technology to its photo service?

18. Ashok Vemuri, the head of Infosys’ North American operations and a member of its board, has resigned and is likely to join which company as CEO?

19. Titan Industries has unveiled its new name - Titan Company Ltd. – and a new logo. What is the logo called?

20. Which city has been named the world's most liveable city for the third year in a row, according to a survey of 140 cities released this month by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)?

21. Which MNC has appointed Christian de Faria as chief executive officer (CEO) for its Africa operations, with effect from January 1, 2014?

22. Times Television Network will launch a new English entertainment channel, which will show both movies and serials in the romance and comedy genres. What has it been branded as?

23. Sushil Maroo has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer and Director of which London-listed company?

24. Who has stepped down as chairman of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)?

25. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma have been roped in as the new brand ambassadors of which shampoo brand?

26. Dinesh K Sarraf, Managing Director, ONGC Videsh Ltd. (OVL), has been selected by the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) to be the next CMD of which company?

27. GV Keshav Reddy, the scion of the GVK group, has teamed up with Ishaan Dodhiwala to launch a brand of India-inspired products. Name the brand?

28. Which brand has launched its new campaign ‘Power of 49’?

29. Which MNC has acquired social analytics company Trendrr to enhance its offerings in the entertainment industry?

30. Which automobile brand is being advertised with the positioning ‘My thing Everything!’?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 492 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

August 25, 2013

Biz Quizzard 491


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week August 19 - 24. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Vedanta Resources Group has merged which 2 subsidiaries in India?

2. Which real estate major has bought out its equity partner, American global investment firm Farallon Capital, in seven projects for nearly Rs 1,200 crore?

3. Forbes has released its latest list of the highest paid sports persons on the planet. Who has topped the list?

4. Which automobile brand has launched its new television commercial titled 'Apni Film Ka Superstar'?

5. Realty developer Lodha Group has roped which celebrity as brand ambassador for its 17.5-acre premium project The Park in central Mumbai’s Worli?

6. Which MNC has elevated Vikas Chawla, vice-president (operations), India, as the head of Europe effective September 1?

7. Which MNC airline has appointed Ivan Chu as its new CEO, effective next March?

8. Which European brand communications company, headquartered in Amsterdam, has announced its entry into the Indian market?

9. Which company will be the presenting sponsor for Sunburn, Asia’s biggest music festival, this year?

10. Which brand has roped in Nargis Fakhri as its women’s fitness ambassador?

11. Rolls-Royce has announced the launch of the most powerful model from its stable, in India. Name the brand?

12. Which MNC has shut down its email services in China to support its partner?

13. Which Swedish engineering group is buying British industrial technology firm Edwards Group for up to $ 1.6 billion?

14. Which airport has become the first in India to get its very own 6D cinema?

15. Which MNC’s patent for a Gaze Tracking System became public recently?

16. Which MNC has dethroned its Finnish counterpart Nokia as India’s largest mobile phone maker / seller in the last fiscal year?

17. Which networking site said it would open its website to minors for the first time starting on September 12, allowing kids as young as 13 to sign up for the service in most countries?

18. Which MNC last week unveiled its all-new premium compact sports utility vehicle (SUV) Terrano for the Indian market?

19. Mr Jyotirbhaskar Jayant Salgaonkar passed away last week. He was the founder of which well known publishing / print brand?

20. Anand Mahindra ranks 3rd among the world’s top five non-tech chief executive officers using social media to drive business, according to a study by Hootsuite. Who tops the list?

21. What world-first achievement is being claimed by Castrol RX Super Max Fuel Save, a new engine oil from Castrol?

22. A foundation stone was laid last week for what is being claimed as the world's largest solar park. Which location?

23. Maruti Suzuki has launched a new version of its WagonR compact. What has it been branded as?

24. Which company is tying up with Manchester United to become the football club’s ‘official tyre partner’ in UK and India?

25. Which MNC has sued its longtime brand ambassador Virat Kohli, alleging breach of an endorsement contract?

26. Nishi Vasudeva is all set to create history by becoming the first woman chief of a navaratna PSU. Which PSU?

27. Which MNC has joined hands with Ericsson, MediaTek, Nokia, Opera, Qualcomm and Samsung to establish internet.org, a global partnership with the goal of making Internet access available to the next five billion people?

28. Which consumer goods firm has acquired Nomarks, the country’s second largest anti-marks brand, from Delhi-based Ozone Ayurvedics to make a foray into the skin-care market?

29. Vimal, the textile brand of Reliance Industries, is trying to declare the end of ties and “stereotypical formals” with launch of a new range. What has it been branded as?

30. Which country has bypassed Japan to become the world’s third largest Internet user, according to a report by global digital measurement and analytics firm comScore?

31. Which MNC is buying a majority stake in Bangalore-based software service provider for securities and currency trades, Omnesys Technologies, for an undisclosed amount?

32. In one of the largest deals in the domestic IT services space, Baring Private Equity Asia will buy a controlling stake in which firm for Rs 2,745 crore (about $420 million)?

33. Which well known MNC has announced that it’s CEO will retire within the next 12 months?

34. Commercial vehicle maker Ashok Leyland has launched a new engine platform that promises better life and fuel efficiency. What has it been branded as?

35. Tata Motors has launched a new variant of Tata Safari Storme. What has it been sub-branded as?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 491 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

August 18, 2013

Biz Quizzard 490

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week August 12 - 17. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Irish building materials giant CRH has agreed to buy which cement company from the diversified Shriram Group for an enterprise valuation of around Rs 1,400 crore?

2. The board of which company has decided to sell its IT solutions business and its stake in all its foreign subsidiaries to the UK-based Kewill group for a consideration of $43.4 million?

3. It would have been funny had it not been a disaster. Yatra.com site was inaccessible to customers for a few days. What was the reason (as reported in the media)?

4. UM Cables Ltd has acquired a sponge iron and billet unit, Zoom Vallabh Steel. UM Cables is a wholly-owned subsidiary of which company?

5. Funskool India Ltd, a joint venture between MRF and Hasbro Inc, opened its first branded retail outlet in Chennai. What has it been branded as?

6. Which company has operationalised the nation’s largest blast furnace at its Rourkela Steel Plant?

7. Sanak Mishra has stepped down as the India CEO of which MNC?

8. Which MNC has pulled out Anchor milk powder from Sri Lanka?

9. Which company has acquired 99% stake in Century 21 Properties India Pvt Ltd?

10. Which new internal ridership record was set by Delhi Metro on August 8?

11. Swedish retail major IKEA Group has identified which four states to set up single-brand retail stores as part of its Rs 10,500-crore investment in India?

12. Which company has bought 80% stake in Singapore-based high-end personal care, dermatology products and cosmetics maker Global Vantage Innovative Group (GVig)?

13. Who has topped Forbes list of the world's top-earning authors?

14. Which paints company has appointed Sameer Nagpal as managing director and chief executive officer, effective from May 25?

15. Dilip Venkatraman has stepped down as the CEO of which two television channels?

16. Japanese HR service provider Recruit Holdings has acquired which domestic executive search firm for nearly Rs 150 crore?

17. Ashish Nanda, a Harvard Law School professor, will be the new director of which business school?

18. Which technology and consultancy major will acquire Germany-based Prion Group, a move that will help enhance its product lifecycle management (PLM) services?

19. Which company plans to re-launch its Swiss watch brand Favre Leuba this fiscal?

20. Dubai based fashion retailer Splash has appointed which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

21. Which FMCG major has widened its portfolio in the dairy space by launching ‘Curd' in one kg bucket packs?

22. Which company has come onboard as the presenting sponsor for the Indian adaptation of hit international TV series "24", to be telecast on Colors channel?

23. Which sports equipment brand will soon launch a chain of standalone stores in India?

24. What milestone has the Nokia Store crossed in India?

25. Education company Pearson has appointed which well-known Indian business personality as an independent non-executive director on its board, effective from October 1?

26. Which automobile company has shed more than a 90% stake in its wind power arm to independent power producer Green Infra?

27. Which MNC has agreed to buy Trusteer, a company that helps businesses fight computer viruses and fraud?

28. Rosalia Mera, 69, died last week. She was the co-founder of which fashion label / retailer?

29. Which MNC has unveiled actor and director Robert Downey Jr. as the star of its 'Here's to Change' brand-building advertising campaign?

30. Samsung Electronics Co will reportedly introduce a wristwatch-like device next month that can make phone calls, surf the web and handle emails. What has it been branded as?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 490 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

August 11, 2013

Biz Quizzard 489


Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week August 05 - 10. Hope you enjoy it.

1. IBT Media is buying which well known publication from IAC/ InterActiveCorp?

2. Which company is preparing to become the first anti-virus software company to list in India?

3. Which company has agreed to sell The Boston Globe to the principal owner of the Boston Red Sox baseball team for $70 million in cash?

4. Siyaram Silk Mills has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador for Oxemberg brand of apparels?

5. Sameer Suneja will be the new global CEO of which MNC?

6. Which company has become the first Indian airline to order Boeing 737 Max planes?

7. The owner of courier company M/ s Blue Bird in Kolkata was arrested recently. Why did this make news?

8. Which foreign tourism board has launched a romantic novel, 'Hold My Hand', in India to promote tourism?

9. Which business personality has agreed to buy the newspaper assets of The Washington Post Company for $250 million?

10. Who has been appointed the new governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?

11. Cadbury India will set up its biggest manufacturing facility in the Asia-Pacific region in the country. Which state?

12. Ford Figo has recently crossed which sales milestone in India?

13. Star Sports has roped in which sports personality as brand ambassador to endorse the English club football championship, the world’s biggest sports league, in India?

14. Which company has announced promotion of Rajesh Magow, one of the co-founders, as Chief Executive Officer-India?

15. Which MNC has unveiled a new global brand identity strategy revolving around the theme, “It’s All Possible”?

16. Which MNC recently announced it will have a new logo on September 4 and in the run up to that is playing around with 30 logos that will change in the next 30 days?

17. Which company has secured the 'title sponsorship' for inaugural Indian Badminton League 2013?

18. Which bank has acquired Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) commercial and home loan portfolio along with its credit card business in India for an undisclosed sum?

19. Which MNC has acquired Connecticut-based yogurt maker YoCrunch in a move aimed at expanding its presence in the U.S.?

20. Which significant milestone was achieved by Hero Motocorp last week?

21. Non-banking financial services company Money Matters has been renamed. What will it be known as?

22. Which celebrity has joined as independent director on the board of beauty & wellness company VLCC Health Care?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 489 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

August 4, 2013

Biz Quizzard 488

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week July 29 - August 03. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which two advertising groups have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal to create the world’s largest advertising company?

2. The government is all set to name Usha Sangwan as the first woman managing director at which entity?

3. Which well-known entrepreneurs have forayed into India’s nascent home healthcare market by acquiring New Delhi-based Portea Medical?

4. Which publishing company in India has announced the closure of its three international titles – People, Geo and Marie Claire?

5. Which brand has topped the list in the first edition of Interbrand’s ‘Best Indian Brands’ study?

6. Which Canada-based company said it would buy US-based Saks in a $2.4 billion deal that would add prime real estate to its portfolio and bring the luxury chain to its home market?

7. Kiran Kumar Grandhi is the new managing director of which infrastructure company?

8. Mr BG Raghupathy, 59, passed away recently. He was the chairman & managing director of which business group?

9. Which social media agency has bought Bangalore-based Red Digital, a media agency with clients across the entertainment and technology industries, for about Rs 7 crore?

10. Which MNC last week launched the first production series of its all-electric ‘i3’ city car simultaneously in three continents - Asia, Europe and the US?

11. Which electrical products manufacturer has acquired ownership control in Australian company Electrical Distribution Solutions?

12. Which two-wheeler brand has been ranked by CNN as one of twelve best designs in the last 100 years?

13. Which media company is planning to launch channels under the ‘&’ brand?

14. Which soccer club last week added PepsiCo to its expanding roster of global sponsors?

15. Who is Hollywood's highest paid actress with estimated earnings of $33 million in the last year, according to Forbes?

16. Which MNC cosmetics giant has appointed Jean-Christophe Letellier as its managing director in India?

17. Perfetti Van Melle India (PVMI) has signed on which actor as the new face for its flagship chewing gum brand Center Fresh?

18. Which Hyderabad-based company has inked an agreement to acquire Tamil Nadu-based Actavis Pharma Manufacturing’s solid oral dosage facility in Alathur, Tamil Nadu?

19. Rajeev Rishi is the new Chairman and Managing Director of which public sector bank?

20. Which brand has topped the 2013 BrandZ Top 100, a ranking of the most valuable global brands compiled by research firm MillwardBrown?

21. Which television channel has acquired the rights to televise Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling across the Indian sub-continent?

22. Which brand has roped in tennis player John McEnroe to help promote its sponsorship of the New York City Marathon in November?

23. Tata Motors, in association with which organization, has developed a hydrogen-powered bus?

24. Which MNC bank has named Ross McEwan as its new CEO?

25. Which automobile brand has launched the most expensive super sports car to be sold in the country?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 488 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

July 28, 2013

Biz Quizzard 487

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week July 22 - 27. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which celebrity is the new brand ambassador for Reebok India?

2. Subra Suresh is the first Indian-origin president of which well known university?

3. Which mobile VAS firm said it has closed the deal to acquire US-based Livewire Mobile for $17.8 million?

4. Abdul Rahim Rather has been elected as the new Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on GST. He is the Finance Minister of which state?

5. Which brand has roped in celebrated children’s author Ruskin Bond to blog for its micro-site, ThefutureGenius.com?

6. Which company has announced a tie up with Spain’s Medical Diagnostics Aragon (MDA) for the pan-India launch of ‘Rehidrata-T,’ an oral rehydration salt (ORS) formulation in gel form?

7. Which company has appointed Prashant Vatkar as chief executive officer for its international business?

8. Which business personality has resigned from the board of Reserve Bank of India to avoid conflict of interest?

9. Neil Mills has stepped down as the CEO of which airline?

10. According to the Tourism Ministry, which state was the top tourist destination for domestic tourists in 2012?

11. Which luxury car maker plans to launch its first sports utility vehicle (SUV) model in 2016?

12. Which MNC said it plans to purchase cyber security company Sourcefire Inc for $2.7 billion?

13. Which company holds the record of being the first Indian company to cross a million followers on Twitter?

14. Which consumer durable MNC is celebrating 111 years in the industry?

15. Holcim, the world’s fourth largest cement maker, is restructuring its Indian subsidiaries through a complex exercise. Which company will become its flagship company in the country?

16. Athlete-turned-media professional Adille Sumariwalla and which business personality are teaming up to create a new media and advertising solutions company, Interspace Communications?

17. Starbucks is teaming up with which MNC to create a line of yogurts that will be sold in the coffee company’s stores and in grocery stores?

18. Which is the most expensive city in the world for expatriates, according to the latest Cost of Living Survey by Mercer?

19. The Central Board of Excise and Custom (CBEC) has de-recognised which 3 automobile brands as ‘sports utility vehicles’ (SUVs)?

20. Which company is celebrating its 75th anniversary through its latest campaign titled 'Shine On'?

21. Gitanjali Group has announced the appointment of which actress as the brand ambassador for Parineeta wedding jewellery brand?

22. Which company has topped the Corporate Dossier-Hay Group’s ‘India’s Best Boards’ list?

23. Which MNC has appointed former PepsiCo India head Manu Anand as its new India head?

24. Which company has purchased real estate developer DLF’s 74% stake in life insurer DLF Pramerica Life Insurance Company for Rs 220 crore?

25. Which media group is getting ready to launch a new English daily, National Standard?

26. Which MNC plans to jump into the premium bottled water market with a drink called Om?

27. Which company has entered into a joint venture with SCM Real Estate (Singapore), an investment arm of Standard Chartered Bank, for development of residential projects in India?

28. Who will be the new MD and CEO of Hindustan Unilever?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 487 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli