May 31, 2015

Biz Quizzard 583

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

1. Which company will sell its consumer products business to Kishore Biyani-led Future Consumer Enterprise on a slump-sale basis?

2. Which company has acquired Hyderabad-based mobile technology start-up, MartMobi, for an undisclosed amount?

3. Which MNC has launched its new campaign #TogetherOnline?

4. Actor Sushant Singh Rajput can be seen in the ‘Get Grooving’ campaign of which automobile brand?

5. Which location will soon be home to the world's largest luxury hotel?

6. India Today group has rebranded / replaced the Headlines Today channel. What has the new channel been branded as?

7. Which MNC has appointed former PepsiCo executive Sunil D'Souza as Managing Director of its India operations, effective June 22, 2015?

8. Which company has struck a $56-billion deal to buy Time Warner Cable, seeking to combine the third and second largest US cable operators to better compete against market leader Comcast?

9. Which company will get a funding of about Rs 250 crore from Tata Opportunities Fund (TOF) to acquire Tata Group firm Drive India Enterprise Solutions (DIESL)?

10. How many resident Indian women feature in Forbes’s 12th annual list of the 100 most influential women?

11. In what is probably the highest cover taken by a Bollywood star, which actor has been insured for Rs 35 crore under a personal accident policy for a film?

12. Raymond has rebranded its bed and bath range of home furnishing products, which was launched in 2013. What will it be now known as?

13. Which ecommerce major in India last week unveiled a new logo and tagline 'Ab Har Wish Hogi Poori'?

14. Which portal has acquired Delhi-based startup Realty Business Intelligence for an estimated $2-4 million (Rs 12-24 crore)?

15. Aamir Khan-starrer PK has become the first Bollywood film to cross which milestone collections mark (in Rupees) in the box office abroad?

16. Which MNC is claiming to be the first car maker to offer Google’s Android Auto system?

17. Xolo, the smartphone-only brand from Lava International, is all set to create an online-only sub-brand, that too made in India. What will it be called?

18. Which MNC has decided to exit the fixed line telephony business in Tanzania by selling its 35% stake in state-run Tanzania Telecommunications Corp (TTCL) to Tanzania government?

19. Which company has launched its new TVC #HolidaySortedHai?

20. Al Rajwani will take over as the new India head of which MNC?

21. Which company last week unveiled a range of limited edition bikes, inspired by the 'despatch riders' of the World Wars, which will be sold online only?

22. Which company has been rated as the best company in India on various financial and operational parameters by Dun & Bradstreet?

23. Mumbai-based Smaaash Entertainment is all set for an international debut as it targets markets such as Germany, London and the Middle East for its gaming and recreation centres. Which celebrity is the co-owner?

24. Which Singapore-based maker of semiconductors has agreed to buy Broadcom for $37 billion in the industry's biggest acquisition ever?

25. Which company has agreed to acquire a controlling stake of 76 per cent in the National Capital Region-based Pushpanjali Crosslay Hospital (PCH) for Rs 287 crore?

26. Which Hyderabad-based skill development and integrated talent management firm has acquired Bengaluru-based Java Learning Center (JLC) for an undisclosed amount?

27. Which home shopping television network has rolled out its first ever marketing campaign, titled ‘Kal Ki Wish Aaj Pao – Phone Uthao Khushiya Mangao’?

28. Veteran actress Waheeda Rehman is featured in the new television commercial - #TheLastPiece – for which chocolate brand?

29. Which pump maker from India is acquiring Italy's Gruppo Aturia and its subsidiaries Pompes Rutschi SAS (France) and Rutschi Fluid AG (Switzerland) via its international subsidiary?

30. How many Indian-origin women have made it to Forbes’ inaugural list of America’s 50 richest self-made women?

31. Which MNC has acquired Metaio, a German company whose technology melds real-world imagery and computer-generated elements into moving video presentations?

32. Ending this edition with a tough one. Google has launched a product that will allow users to backup and store unlimited high-quality photos and videos for free. What is it called?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 583 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

May 24, 2015

Biz Quizzard 582

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

1. Infosys has announced establishing its first overseas centre outside India. Which country?

2. Which company has acquired grocery marketplace BestAtLowest[dot]com for about USD 10 million (about Rs 63 crore)?

3. Online recruitment startup myNoticePeriod has rebranded itself. What is the new name?

4. Which machine tool maker has acquired Proteck's machinery business for about Rs 40 crore to add turning capabilities to its milling business, offering customers a complete solution?

5. Which online grocer has secured the e-commerce based home delivery business of Aditya Birla Retail across its 16 ‘More’ hypermarkets in cities such as Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata?

6. Which MNC recently confirmed that it had purchased Coherent Navigation, a Bay Area global positioning company, further bolstering its location technology and services?

7. Which company, in association with Apollo Hospitals, has launched a co-branded pre-paid card, which will enable corporates to easily disburse medical allowance to their employees?

8. Which company has announced the acquisition of Ameya Transmissions, the Pune-based manufacturer of gear operators and gearboxes, for an unspecified amount?

9. Which business group has topped Nielsen's Corporate Image Monitor (CIM) 2014-15 survey that measures reputation of leading companies in the country?

10. Pinky Mehta will become the first woman CFO in which business group in July?

11. The country’s credit card base has crossed which milestone mark, the first time since February 2010, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) data?

12. Which retail chain has launched its latest campaign ‘Shuru Kisne Kiya’?

13. Which watch brand has launched a campaign for its ‘Wedding’ collection, taking the brand’s message ‘Karo, Toh Shaan Se’ to a new level?

14. Which celebrity and his family have picked up a minority stake in Meridian Tech Pte of Singapore, which owns ziddu.com, a free cloud storage and e-distribution startup?

15. Which two-wheeler maker last week launched its first online store in collaboration with Snapdeal?

16. Which Indian company has signed a long term franchise agreement with Dutch lingerie maker Hunkemöller International BV?

17. Which Bengaluru-based home design service provider has acquired Dwll[dot]in, a curated online network for interior designers?

18. Cotton Council International (CCI) is all set to launch its 25-year old flagship brand in India. Name it?

19. Online grocer Localbanya[dot]com has launched a 120-minute delivery service in Hyderabad. What is it called?

20. Which company has become the first Indian company to join the RE100 renewable energy campaign, a global initiative where companies pledge to use only renewable power?

21. Which online furniture and décor company has launched its new commercial ‘Beautiful Homes Start Here’?

22. Which company has recently launched an initiative, called The Red Ramp Project, to help the physically-challenged get more access to places hitherto unreachable?

23. Renault last week unveiled its global entry-level car in India. What has it been branded as?

24. Which Bengaluru-based messaging app has roped in Twitter co-founder Biz Stone as an investor and advisor?

25. Which three Indian cities have emerged among the top fastest growing cities in A T Kearney's Global Cities Index?

26. Disney has recently opened a new store; it’s largest in the world and first in that country. Which country?

27. Which Indian company will acquire a generic pharmaceutical business of Aspen Pharmacare in Australia with certain branded pharmaceutical assets for Australian $380 million (Rs 1,910 crore)?

28. Mercedes-Benz last week launched an armoured passenger vehicle in India, at a price tag of Rs 8.9 crore (ex- showroom Delhi). What has it been branded as?

29. Which media agency has announced it is expanding its sports and entertainment offering under a new global agency brand, ESP?

30. Which sugar manufacturer has become the 1st company in Asia to achieve the milestone of getting certified by Bonsucro, a global multi-stakeholder organisation for sustainable sugar growth?

31. Which Indian pharma major has inked a pact with Uganda's Quality Chemicals to acquire majority stake in the Africa-based firm for a total consideration of over $30 million (around Rs 190 crore)?

32. Which Indian integrated component manufacturer is set to acquire REGE Holding GmBH, a German auto component firm, for an undisclosed amount?

33. Which MNC and Steel Authority of India last week signed a MoU to set up an automotive steel manufacturing facility in India?

34. Which online retailer has launched a virtual ‘Perfume Mall’ in India, with more than 100 brands and over 1,000 stock-keeping units?

35. India’s broadband subscriber base – both wireless and wireline users – has crossed which milestone mark in May?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 582 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

May 17, 2015

Biz Quizzard 581

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

1. Which automobile company is putting in place a new independent management structure and a separate dealership network, internally named NEXA, to sell bigger cars priced above Rs 9 lakhs?

2. Which US mobile messaging provider has acquired Bengaluru-based rival Unicel Technologies for an estimated Rs 80-100 crore in an all-cash deal?

3. Which electronic security equipment company has launched a campaign titled 'Uparwala sab dekh raha hai'?

4. Bengaluru-based couple Manoj L and Puja Tumulu has developed a social networking platform for connecting and uniting geographically scattered family members. What is it called?

5. In a global first, what option has Uber introduced for cab rides in Hyderabad?

6. Which company has acquired UK-based Harris Performance Products, a motorcycle design and engineering firm, for an undisclosed amount?

7. Which company has emerged as the only Indian company among the world's 10 biggest consumer financial services firms, according to a list compiled by business magazine Forbes?

8. Which company has signed a technology transfer agreement with South Korea's Hyundai Heavy Industries to build carriers for liquefied natural gas at its shipyard at Kattupalli, near Chennai?

9. Flipkart has crossed which milestone in terms of cumulative sales of books through its portal?

10. Who has been named as the first head of the new development bank the BRICS group of emerging market economies is setting up?

11. Italy's Agnelli family has agreed to sell which US-based real estate services group to DTZ?

12. Who was last week appointed president of Japan’s SoftBank Corp?

13. Who has been ranked as Asia’s wealthiest entrepreneur under the age of 40, according to the Wealth-X list released last week?

14. Which brand has emerged as ‘India's Most Exciting Brand 2015’ in a survey conducted by global research firm Nielsen exclusively for Brand Equity?

15. Avijit Mitra has been appointed the new chief executive officer of which Tata Group firm?

16. Which Bengaluru-based energy-utility systems integrator and advisory has acquired Pune-based wind turbine manufacturer Luminous Renewable Energy Solutions for about Rs 12.6 crore?

17. Google has agreed to set up a campus, its largest outside the US and first in Asia, in which city?

18. Which company has entered into an agreement with Religare Enterprises to buy out its stake in Aegon Religare Life Insurance?

19. Which company has said it would buy AOL in a $4.4-billion deal that gives it access to AOL's mobile video platform and content including the Huffington Post news website?

20. Who has been ranked number two on The Medicine Maker Power List of 2015, which is an index of the 100 most influential people across the globe in the field of medicine?

21. Which group has agreed to acquire Total Superstore, the retail division of Jubilant Agri & Consumer Products, for an undisclosed amount?

22. Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) has crossed which major milestone of cumulative production in over three decades since it started selling cars in the country?

23. Which telecom MNC has appointed Sigve Brekke President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) effective August 17, 2015?

24. The world's largest Islamic clothing company will make its India debut next month by opening an online store at Snapdeal. Name the company?

25. The co-founder and CEO of which Indian startup is promising to transfer his shareholding, which he claims is worth Rs`150-200 crore, to the company's 2,251 employees?

26. Which pharmaceutical company has announced the acquisition of 100% equity stake in Medquímica Indústria Farmacêutica, Brazil?

27. Which Bengaluru-based start-up is set to launch a global yoga wear brand designed, developed and manufactured entirely in India?

28. New Delhi-based start-up Volano Entertainment, which is an organized amateur sports management firm, has roped in which Telugu actor as brand ambassador?

29. The number of telephone connections in India crossed which milestone at the end of April?

30. Which company has been ranked fifty-seventh in valuation firm Brand Finance’s latest list of the top 500 brands in the US?

31. Which Bengaluru-based property developer has acquired Koregaon Park Plaza Centre, an A-grade shopping mall spread over six acres in Pune?

32. Tanishq has roped in which celebrity as brand ambassador?

33. Dettol has launched an affordable liquid hand-wash priced at Rs 30. What has it been branded as?

34. Which brand has released a new film, with the theme ‘Every epic journey begins with a single step’, as part of the promotion of their annual festival – ‘The Journey’?

35. Which brand has launched a film featuring Virat Kohli as part of its ‘One Obsession’ campaign?

36. Which company launched a film on the eve of Mother’s Day with the message ‘What your mom really wants can’t be ordered online’?

37. Which company’s latest campaign, ‘Where do you want to go?’ portrays the story of a young girl who is visually impaired and yet is determined to travel across the globe?

38. Which Mumbai-based online portal for home furnishings has acqui-hired Homado, a marketplace for interior designers and architects?

39. Which MNC has appointed Deb Deep Sengupta as the new Managing Director for Indian Subcontinent to drive its growth strategy and operations in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka?

40. HCL Corporation last week launched a wholly-owned for-profit company in an effort to address corporate requirement for entry-level skill and talent. What is it called?

41. Rupa Frontline has roped in which celebrity to feature in its latest television commercial?

42. Which company has signed an exclusive product licence agreement with Bengaluru-based start-up Sea6 Energy to market and distribute its crop yield enhancement product, ‘Jingo’?

43. Which Indian company has entered the Vietnam market by signing a distribution agreement for commercial vehicles with TMT Joint Stock Company?

44. Which company last week overtook Hero MotoCorp on market valuation to become India’s 2nd- most valued 2-wheeler company?

45. Which brand has roped in actress Madhuri Dixit Nene and her husband Dr. Shriram Nene as goodwill ambassadors for a five-year term?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 581 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

May 10, 2015

Biz Quizzard 580

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

1. Which business group will acquire Bharti Retail in an all-stock deal?

2. What choice is McDonald's giving to its customers in west and South India, a global first for the world's largest restaurant chain?

3. Which technology company has named Chuck Robbins as its next CEO effective July 26, 2015?

4. Which auto components maker has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with US-based Vehicle Access Systems Technology (VAST) to expand its global presence?

5. Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), owner of Amul, has crossed which annual turnover milestone for the financial year ended March 2015?

6. Which kids entertainment channel in India has completed 20 years in the country?

7. CarDekho portal has crossed which milestone in terms of number of visits in the year?

8. Which company has announced it is acquiring 51 per cent stake in Hyderabad-based Incessant Technologies for $17 million (about Rs 107.8 crore)?

9. Which company has acquired Bengaluru-based mobile application development platform Native5?

10. Which MNC last week nationally rolled out Edu-Cloud, its cloud computing-based offering that is expected to enhance digital learning and teaching in schools and higher education institutions?

11. PayU India has rebranded both its products PayU Enterprise and PayUmoney to establish them as clear independent businesses. What will PayU Enterprise be now called as?

12. Which apparel brand has tied up with the University of Cambridge to launch the Cambridge Collection, a college style line of menswear for spring/summer 2015, in India?

13. Which casual wear brand, in association with Myntra, has launched 'Mission Paralympics 2016', a crowd funding initiative to help support four differently-abled athletes?

14. Sanjeev Agrawal has been appointed as CEO of which Network18 group company?

15. Which Chinese smartphone maker is set to enter the fast-growing Indian market this month, selling its Dazen brand of affordable devices online?

16. Which company has ventured into the top-end refrigerator segment by launching its new range of ‘NXW’ (Next World) refrigerators?

17. Which auto parts maker has decided to acquire 51 per cent in Phoenix Lamps for about Rs 125 crore?

18. SA-based fast-food chain Barcelos last week launched which fast-food item in India?

19. To celebrate the birth of Britain’s new Princess, what is British Airways offering in India?

20. Which celebrity is an investor in the country's first capital market league titled `Indian Trading League'?

21. Hyderabad--based artificial intelligence start-up ENIXTA Innovations has launched a product discovery platform which uses artificial intelligence to recommend mobile phones. What has it been branded as?

22. Which company has launched a new campaign with the proposition ‘Bachat ki khunn khunn’?

23. Which smartphone brand has launched a new campaign #FasterThanMyDadsPhone?

24. Which airline has launched FAST-TRACK, a premium express cargo service on its domestic network for customers needing urgent shipment of air cargo in a defined timeframe?

25. FMCG company Dabur India Ltd. (DIL) has created a sub-brand to step up its presence in the baby care segment. Name it?

26. Tata Motors is all set to unveil the new avatar of Nano, positioning it as an aspirational vehicle. What has it been branded as?

27. State-owned power generator NTPC will build India's biggest power plant with an annual generation capacity of 6,400 megawatt in which state?

28. UK-based electric bus maker Optare has decided to delist from the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange. It is the subsidiary of which Indian company?

29. Which Ahmedabad-based drug maker will buy 100% stake in Zyg Pharma Pvt. Ltd for an undisclosed amount?

30. Aditya Birla Group is merging which two divisions to create the country's largest branded apparel company by sales and number of stores?

31. Professional networking site, LinkedIn has crossed which milestone user mark in India, its largest market outside the US?

32. Which hair and beauty salon chain has brought in premium haircare products brand, ‘So Pure Natural Balance’, from the Netherlands?

33. Which country has moved one step closer to becoming the world's first cashless society, as the government proposes scrapping the obligation for retailers to accept cash as payment?

34. Which beverage brand has launched a campaign with the positioning “can’t hide the taste”?

35. Which MNC has announced the appointment of former Procter & Gamble executive Manoj Kumar as MD & area general manager for the India Sub-Continent?

36. Which e-tailer is claiming to be the first company in the country to offer same-day delivery (SDD) in 18 cities and next-day delivery (NDD) in 60 cities, for free?

37. Which Indian celebrity has become the latest owner of Audi’s limited edition sports-car, R8 LMX, priced at Rs 2.97 crore?

38. Google has opened its first Asia campus for start-ups and entrepreneurs. Which city?

39. How many Indian companies figure in the list of world's 2000 largest and most powerful public companies, compiled by Forbes?

40. Which brand from Maruti Suzuki is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 580 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

May 3, 2015

Biz Quizzard 579

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week April 27 - May 02. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Who has become the first Indian investor in the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi, the world's most valued technology startup?

2. Which online travel company has adopted a new brand positioning, including a new logo and tagline `Dil Toh Roaming Hai'?

3. Which portal has launched TalentBin to identify “unfindable” talent using a stock of information and web-based recruiting tools?

4. Which insurance company has promoted its Chief Operating Officer MS Sreedhar to the post of Managing Director?

5. Which Hindi movie channel has unveiled its new positioning 'Woh Zamaana, Kare Deewana'?

6. Which online marketplace has launched Sunday delivery to residential addresses across 100 cities in India?

7. Which airline last week launched its #TravelLightSaveMore sale, customized strictly for passengers who travel light?

8. Which company has launched a campaign on social media to promote its ‘#referALL’ referral programme?

9. Which website has entered into an agreement with DreamWorks Animation SKG unit AwesomenessTV to release feature films over the next two years?

10. Which company has said it will buy Nasdaq-listed IGate for $4.04 billion (Rs`25,000 crore) in cash?

11. Himanshu Chakrawarti has quit as chief executive officer of which retail chain?

12. Actor Siddharth has been roped in as the brand ambassador of which newly launched chocolate brand?

13. Which fast Indian food chain last week announced the acquisition of Paratha Post, a player in the desi food delivery space?

14. Which automobile brand has launched its ‘Worth Everything’ campaign?

15. Which company has announced the acquisition of Appiterate, a mobile engagement and marketing automation company based out of Delhi?

16. Which company has acquired Makaan[dot]com, one of the first online marketplaces for property transactions and listings in India?

17. Which event solutions platform has acquired events ticketing company IndianStage [dot] in?

18. Which automobile MNC has launched 'Safe Roads', a campaign to emphasise awareness on road safety in India?

19. Which company has acquired online shopping and price comparison portal BuyingIQ Online Services for an undisclosed sum?

20. Which company has entered the personal computing segment with hybrid Canvas LapTab -a tablet that can function as a laptop when attached to a portable keypad?

21. Turbo Aviation is all set to enter the commercial aviation segment with a regional airline based in Hyderabad. What has it been branded as?

22. Consumer durable major Lloyd has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador in India?

23. Food Krafters & Services LLP (FKS) has acquired which Hyderabad-based brand known for its Biryani and Deccan delicacies?

24. Microsoft last week unveiled its new web browser. What has it been branded as?

25. Which company has agreed to sell its entire stake in Singapore-based healthcare services unit RadLink-Asia Pte Ltd and subsidiaries for about Rs 530 crore to Fullerton Healthcare Group?

26. Which company is claiming to be the first cement company in the country to tie up with an e-commerce firm for selling products online?

27. Which company has entered the premium hair care category with B:blunt, it’s most expensive brand till date?

28. Which Danish fashion company will soon bring in its premium brand Selected to expand its India portfolio?

29. Bajaj Auto recently launched a new range under its Pulsar brand. What has it been branded as?

30. Which Chennai-based 100-year-old pharma company will soon launch its online pharmacy, Netmeds?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 579 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli