February 24, 2013

Biz Quizzard 465

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

1. Which company has roped in actor Irrfan Khan as the face of its new toothpaste brand?

2. Which MNC has unveiled its latest integrated marketing campaign under the theme ‘Want it. Get it’?

3. TLG Partners, a London-based consultancy, has released the India Index of Thought Leaders, a list of the 100 most successful and influential companies in India. Which entity has topped the list?

4. Which company has become the first from India to be admitted for trading on NYSE Euronext’s London and Paris markets?

5. Who has become the first Indian to sign up for the Giving Pledge, an undertaking by large hearted billionaires to dedicate a majority of their wealth to philanthropy?

6. In what will be the first FDI by a foreign airline, which company is entering India in partnership with the Tata Group and Telstra Teleservices?

7. Puneet Chandra has been appointed the chief marketing officer of which company?

8. Which brand has roped in actor Arjun Rampal to feature in its latest commercial (currently on air)?

9. Former LIC chief TS Vijayan has taken over as the chairman of which regulatory body?

10. Which location in India has been ranked the 4th most costliest office location in world, according to latest report from property consultant Cushman and Wakefield?

11. Which company has acquired a majority stake in online restaurant guide Zomato by investing another R.55 crore in the New Delhi-based listings portal?

12. Nike last week froze its contract with which sports personality, the latest in a series of scandals to hit athletes sponsored by the sportswear giant?

13. Which company has just signed a one-year lead sponsorship deal with the Mumbai Indians IPL team for a record $6 million (Rs 32 crore)?

14. In a move that has generated controversy, which international luxury watch maker has unveiled a limited edition of wrist watches with Lord Venkateswara’s image engraved on them?

15. Which business personality is this year’s recipient of the ‘life time achievement award’ instituted by Ernst & Young?

16. Institutional Investor Advisory Services, or IiAS, a proxy advisory firm, last week advised institutional investors of which company to vote against the special resolution to co-opt the promoter’s scion on the board as a whole time director?

17. Which company has acquired an 85 per cent stake in the UK-based Rico Logistics for Rs 100 crore?

18. Which business personality is bringing his no-frills hotel chain “Tune” to India, as the charismatic entrepreneur expands his diverse business interests in Asian markets?

19. Which brand has introduced 3 new flavors - Punjabi Pizza, Andhra Bangkok Curry and Rajasthani Manchurian?

20. Sony India has roped in which celebrity as the brand ambassador for its Xperia range of smartphones?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 465 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

February 17, 2013

Biz Quizzard 464

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

1. Which country has surpassed the US to become the world’s biggest trading nation last year as measured by the sum of exports and imports of goods?

2. A group of Indian investors led by former OnMobile COO Rajiv Kuchhal has acquired WS Retail Services. It is the front-end operations company for which well known company?

3. Which hotel is the top romantic hotel in India this year, according to the 2013 Travellers’ Choice Awards by TripAdvisor?

4. Which company has announced a joint venture with Gameshastra, India's largest game studio, to bring to India the most integrated and comprehensive gaming company?

5. Which company has acquired the India operations of US-based Hanesbrands Inc?

6. Ace designer Rajesh Pratap Singh has been roped in as the first ever ambassador for India for which product / commodity?

7. Which brand has partnered with Swipe Telecom to enter the ‘aspirational’ smartphones, fablets and tablets market?

8. Which renowned management guru will establish a Centre of Excellence in India at Noida?

9. Jean-Christophe Babin, currently head of LVMH's biggest watch brand TAG Heuer, will take over as chief executive of which international jewellery brand?

10. Which brand has become the first homegrown Indian FMCG brand to cross the Rs 5,000-crore mark in retail sales in a year?

11. Reckitt Benckiser will be taking on HUL’s Vim brand in the dishwashing space with which brand?

12. Bhaskar Iyer has been appointed as the head of India operations of which pharmaceutical company?

13. Jaspreet Bindra, former regional director of Microsoft India, has joined as the CEO of which directional media company?

14. Which celebrity has been honored as Brand Endorser of the Year by the International Advertising Association Leadership Awards (IAA) at the association’s first ever award function in India?

15. Which celebrity has been appointed the new brand ambassador for colour cosmetic brand Elle 18?

16. Samsung Electronics has unveiled its new range of smart ‘feature phones’ to take on Nokia’s highly popular Asha series. What has it been branded as?

17. Which nutrition company has roped in London paralympics silver-medallist and Padma Shri awardee Girisha Hosanagara Nagarajegowda as a brand ambassador?

18. Which company, along with Jorge Paulo Lemann’s 3G Capital, has agreed to buy HJ Heinz in a deal for $23 billion?

19. This is interesting. Which MNC has announced that it plans to sell the first completely ‘made- in- India’ handsets in the Chinese market?

20. Which Indian sports team is ranked at 146th position among the world's 250 most valuable sports brands according to a Brand Finance list?

21. Chandigarh based JCBL, along with Italy’s PLA, has claimed to have launched a first in the country in which automobile category?

22. Which MNC has become the most respected company in the US as per the public's perspective, according to Harris Interactive survey?

23. British Prime Minister David Cameron is expected to present a Royal Mint 2013 sovereign to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his India visit starting February 19. What is special about this gold coin / guinea?

24. Which company has acquired a 51% majority stake in Brazilian SAP consulting services provider, Complex IT?

25. Which automobile company has launched its new off-roader Gurkha?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 464 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

February 10, 2013

Biz Quizzard 463

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

1. Which country has become the first to be censured by the International Monetary Fund for not providing accurate data on inflation and economic growth under a procedure that can end in expulsion?

2. Which telecom company has launched its new brand campaign ‘Joy of Little Extra’?

3. Mobile phone producer Byond Tech Electronics has appointed which celebrity as the brand ambassador for their entire range of Smartphones, Phablets and Tablets?

4. Which MNC will buy network equipment maker Acme Packet Inc for $2.1 billion, putting it in a better position to compete with Cisco Systems Inc in moving data securely over internet networks?

5. Which MNC has, for the first time, toppled Nokia to become the leading smartphone in terms of worldwide Internet usage on handsets, according to a report by web analytic firm StatCounter?

6. HCL Infosystems has appointed which cricketer as the brand ambassador for its 'HCL ME' tablet range?

7. Which well known MNC is bowing out of the stock market in a $24.4-billion buyout that represents the largest deal of its kind since the global economic crisis dried up the financing for such risky manoeuvres?

8. Which company has acquired Ecofirst Services Private Ltd., a design consultancy provider of sustainability solutions for the building environment?

9. Which company will acquire the entire equity stake in its joint venture Alcatel-Lucent Managed Network Service India?

10. Which beverage brand has launched its new campaign ‘Chalo Apni Chaal’?

11. Manjushree Khaitan was last week inducted as the Executive Vice-Chairman of which company?

12. Which company has acquired a 74% stake in Ikya Human Solutions for about Rs 256 crore?

13. According to a report, from early 2014, India- made motorcycles will be sold in the US. Name the brand & the manufacturer?

14. Singer Taylor Swift has become the brand ambassador for which beverage brand?

15. Mukund Govind Rajan has been appointed the Brand Custodian of which business group?

16. Iconic US bike maker Harley-Davidson is reportedly in talks to open the world’s second Harley-Davidson CafĂ©. Which location?

17. Yusuf K Hamied is stepping down as the Managing Director of which company?

18. John Malone’s Liberty Global struck a deal last week to buy which British cable group for about $15.75 billion in stock and cash?

19. Which MNC has agreed to acquire advertising analytics company Bluefin Lab?

20. Jim O’Neill, a Goldman Sachs Group executive, will retire later this year. He is famous for coming up with which well known acronym?

21. Captain CP Krishnan Nair last week stepped down as the chairman of which company?

22. India’s largest selling scotch whisky for a decade, Teacher’s, has lost the top slot to which brand?

23. Which company has acquired Jawood, a company providing business services to the healthcare payer industry, for an undisclosed amount?

24. Banmali Agrawala has been appointed the president and chief executive officer (CEO) which MNC’s business operations in India?

25. Which brand has topped India's Buzziest Brands poll by afaqs?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 463 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

February 3, 2013

Biz Quizzard 462

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week January 28 - February 02. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which UK-based global conglomerate has signed a deal to acquire Belgian media company Alfacam, which provides TV facilities and services to broadcasters and production houses?

2. US venture capitalist Bessemer Venture Partners and Nirvana Venture Advisors have jointly acquired which Bangalore-based healthcare IT services company?

3. Which automobile MNC has regained the number 1 rank in global sales?

4. SEBI has allowed which regional stock exchange to exit its business?

5. Tata Coffee will relaunch which brand in US and Canada?

6. Which MNC has announced the appointment of Gyanendra Shukla as the new Managing Director effective from March 1, 2013?

7. Which television channel has launched its 360 degree brand campaign, Hello Dreamers, which features people hungry to achieve their dream?

8. Which MNC is launching the first Indian chapter of its ‘Young Star Driving Programme’?

9. Which MNC is selling its audio and video business to Japan’s Funai Electric Co in a deal that almost completes its exit from consumer electronics to focus on more profitable home appliances and healthcare?

10. Which brand has unveiled a new theme and tagline called ‘Oh yes abhi’?

11. Which entity has become the world's first professional sports team to be valued at more than $3 billion, according to Forbes Magazine?

12. What new national record has the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi created on January 24, in terms of flight movements?

13. The Times of India group will be organising a global annual award event, which will directly take on the International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA). What has it been branded as?

14. Which brand has emerged as India's most trusted brand, according to The Brand Trust Report, India Study 2013?

15. Canada-based Research In Motion, widely known as RIM and as makers of Blackberry phone, has renamed itself. What will it be now known as?

16. Indonesia’s Surabaya is the most affordable office market in world, according to a report by property consultant DTZ. Which city is the second most affordable?

17. Which celebrity has been roped in by PepsiCo India as the new face of its fastest growing brand – the limelemon drink Mountain Dew?

18. The CEO of which automobile MNC has acquired a 100% stake in cult motorcycle brand Husqvarna from its German rival BMW Motorrad in his personal capacity?

19. MokshaYug Access (MYA) has launched which dairy brand in Bengaluru?

20. The Calcutta High Court last week ordered the winding up of which well known company?

21. Which Bangalore-based online fashion retailer has acquired rival firm Inkfruit?

22. Which company will sell its wind turbine business in Gujarat to Bharat Light & Power for Rs 282.30 crore?

23. Which company has named Manoj Kohli as its managing director?

24. Which company, in association with Delhi International Airport (P) Ltd., has launched India's first virtual shopping wall at T3 of IGI Airport?

25. Which company has appointed Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni as Vice President?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 462 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli