Biz Quizzard 544

Prepare for Tata Crucible with Biz Quizzard. Are you participating in Tata Crucible Corporate Quiz 2014 and want to brush up on your current affairs? Biz Quizzard is sharing its archives for a fee. Get access to one year of Biz Quizzard editions (starting August 5, 2013) with more than 1600 questions (including 75+ related to Tata Group) along with answers. For full details, please contact on rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com .
Sample question (Q 19, Biz Quizzard 492) : Titan Industries has unveiled its new name - Titan Company Ltd. – and a new logo. What is the logo called? Answer: Titan Star  

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

1. Which company has emerged as the country's most admired company, in Fortune magazine’s latest list?

2. In its first overseas buy, which company has acquired Mitteldeutsche Fahrradwerke (Mifa), Germany’s largest manufacturer of bicycles?

3. Which company has roped in internationally-acclaimed design and development expert Markus Braunsperger from BMW, Germany, to head its R&D division?

4. Which MNC has agreed to buy US biotech company InterMune for $8.3 billion in cash, marking the latest multi-billion dollar deal in a consolidating pharmaceutical sector?

5. Bisleri has entered into the Rs 200-crore energy drinks segment in the country. Name the brand?

6. Which mobile app is being advertised with the positioning "plan jab booking tab"?

7. Which company last week launched India’s cheapest smartphone at Rs 1,999, powered by the Firefox OS platform?

8. Which MNC has acquired live-streaming gaming network Twitch Interactive for about $970 million in cash?

9. Which MNC has launched a new television campaign titled ‘Super Student’ to market its Pixma Inkjet printers?

10. British adventurer and television presenter Bear Grylls has been roped in as the long term brand ambassador for which automobile brand?

11. Which Mumbai-based photo printing company has acquired San Francisco-based firm Photojojo?

12. Which CPVC pipes and specialty adhesives manufacturer has acquired 80% stake in UK-based SEAL IT Services for `Rs 44 crore?

13. Advertising professional turned writer Anuja Chauhan is returning to J Walter Thompson India as creative consultant to work on the account of which company?

14. Which company has agreed to acquire Tim Hortons for about C$12.5 billion ($11.4 billion) in a deal that creates the world’s third-largest fast food company?

15. Mondelez International's new luxury product - pralines with a chocolate filling - will make its global debut in India. What has it been branded as?

16. Which online marketplace has entered into a strategic partnership with affordable housing company Tata Value Homes?

17. Which healthcare service provider has picked up an undisclosed majority stake in Hyderabad-based Sri Sainatha Multi-Speciality Hospital Private Limited (‘Prime Hospitals’)?

18. Which general insurance company has won the mandate to provide insurance cover to all Rupay cardholders?

19. Which company has launched an exclusive range of hair care products under the B:Blunt name?

20. Which business personality has recently invested an undisclosed amount in Snapdeal.com?

21. Which MNC has bought Zync Render, the visual effects cloud-rendering technology company behind "Star Trek Into Darkness"?

22. Which company has got a five-year management, sales and marketing contract for the luxury train Deccan Odyssey from the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corp?

23. Which brand is being positioned as ‘a complete health soap’ through its campaign?

24. Which US-based fast food chain is entering India in partnership with Sierra Nevada?

25. Who will take over as the global chief executive officer of Samsonite International, the world's largest luggage maker, in October?

26. Which brand has become the first Indian brand to enter the 4K Ultra High definition smart TV category?

27. Which global research and analytics firm has acquired German business intelligence provider Beyond Data GmbH?

28. Which company has announced the national launch of Saral Rozgar Cards seeking to create a common pool of jobs and job providers?

29. Which business group has appointed JWT as the creative agency for its global brand campaign?

30. Which company has picked up title sponsorship for all international cricket to be played in India in the remainder of the 2014-15 season?

31. Samsung Electronics last week unveiled what it said was the first smartwatch capable of making and receiving calls without a mobile phone nearby. What has it been branded as?

32. Which company has agreed to pay $145 million to Linc Energy to buy out the Australian firm's rights to future royalties from its huge but delayed Carmichael coal project?

33. Textiles firm Suditi Industries has bagged the India rights to make and sell official apparels of which football club?

34. Which former South African cricketer has entered the tourism space in collaboration with Cape Africa Tours, South Africa?

35. Which well known noodles brand is repositioning itself as a healthy breakfast option with the launch of "Oats Noodles"?

36. Who is China’s richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index?

37. World's largest liquor maker Diageo has launched which new vodka brand in India?

38. Which brand has launched a television commercial titled ‘Baat Hain Khushi Ki’ to portray ghee as a contemporary and important ingredient in any celebration?

39. Which organic tea brand from the UK has announced its entry in the Indian market?

40. Which new user milestone has WhatsApp crossed recently?

41. Diamond city Surat is set to get the world's second Reebok Fitness Studio soon. Which city hosts the first?

42. Which business group has launched a campaign, ‘Proud Fathers for Daughters’, featuring celebrities and their daughters?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 544 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 543

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

1. Which MNC has objected to Varanasi-based fabric maker SND & Co’s brand on the grounds that the name can create confusion among its customer?

2. Which celebrity has been appointed the brand ambassador for Astral Pipes?

3. Which MNC toy maker has teamed up with US labels Lord & Taylor, Wildfox and Forever 21 to launch fashion collections for its iconic brand?

4. Which news channel has appointed industry veteran Ajit Anjum as its managing editor?

5. Issam Bachaalani will be the managing director of the Indian operations of which MNC from October 1?

6. Which company has hired Ajith Babu Narasimha, former marketing director at Colgate Palmolive India, to head its healthcare division as the chief executive officer?

7. Which IIM has become the first IIM in the country to receive accreditation from Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) International?

8. Which company last week announced that it will invest Rs 100 crore to erect sanitation facilities for girl students across 10,000 schools?

9. Which broadcaster has launched the country’s first Hindi crime and suspense channel?

10. Which company has topped the first ever Indian edition of WPP's BrandZ report on the top 50 most valuable Indian brands?

11. With estimated earnings of $47 million, who is the world's highest paid model for the eighth consecutive year, according to Forbes.com?

12. Chlorophyll, the brand and communications consultant, has launched a new agency on the occasion of its 15th anniversary. What has it been branded as?

13. Which bank has launched an equated monthly installment (EMI) scheme on debit card purchases, making it the first of its kind facility?

14. Which textile and apparel retailer has entered the e-commerce space and will sell customised apparel under the brand Creyate?

15. McDonald's will offer what gifts with Happy Meals for the first time in India?

16. Which premium Taiwanese bicycle maker is in the process of setting up a manufacturing facility in Pune?

17. Philips India has launched its first ever TV campaign for which kitchen gadget?

18. Jyothy Labs is likely to exit which product category following differences with German multinational Henkel over the brand?

19. Which UK-based telecom company will invest $100 million over the next 18 months in India to enter fixed line connectivity, Wi-Fi and messaging domains?

20. Which city has again been recognised as the best city in the world to live, topping The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index for the fourth year in a row?

21. Which celebrity has been signed as the brand ambassador of Ching's Secret, a brand owned by Capital Foods?

22. Ford EcoSport has crossed which sales milestone in domestic and export markets?

23. Which 75-year-old Indian conglomerate has launched its first ever corporate campaign with the communication message ‘Mera Bharat Bada Ho Raha Hai’?

24. TVS Motor has added one more variant to its 20 year old brand Scooty. What has it been branded as?

25. Mahindra & Mahindra last week launched a new tractor range in the high horsepower segment. What has it been branded as?

26. Indo-Japanese electric two-wheeler manufacturer, Morello Yamasaki, will be launching a new electric vehicle with an SOS button for women riders. What has it been nicknamed?

27. Calvin Harris has been named as the world's highest-paid person in which profession, according to Forbes.com?

28. Which company has struck a deal with Herman Jansen to acquire 50% brand rights over Mansion House for India and South Asian markets?

29. The Huffington Post Media Group has partnered with which media company to launch an Indian edition of The Huffington Post?

30. Five Indian companies are among Forbes' list of the world's 100 most innovative companies. Which company has been ranked 14th?

31. The largest children's specialty apparel retailer in North America plans to debut in India next year. Name it?

32. Which Hyderabad-based midsized engineering solutions firm has announced picking 51% stake in the same city-based data science startup Invati Insights for an undisclosed sum?

33. Which company has acquired Lunchtime.cz and Obedovat.sk, the Czech Republic’s and Slovakia's restaurant guides, respectively, for a combined amount of $3.25 million?

34. Mr Ramchandra Gandhi (89) passed away in Ahmedabad last week. He was the founder and chairman emeritus of which company?

35. Which well known US-based apparel retailer has entered into a franchisee partnership with Arvind Lifestyle Brand for its India debut?

36. Pernod Ricard India has signed actors Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor as brand ambassadors for which brand?

37. Scania Commercial Vehicles India, a CV and engine manufacturer, last week handed over a city bus to Nagpur Municipal Corporation for a trial run. What is its claim to fame?

38. Which celebrity has turned a film producer under the banner Purple Pebble Pictures?

39. Prakash Wakankar will be the new CEO of which retail company?

40. Which company has launched ‘Taqdeer Badal De’, its first ever TVC for its commercial vehicle portfolio?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 543 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 542

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

1. According to data on alcohol consumption sourced from an annual report by Drinks International, which brand is currently the largest selling whisky brand globally?

2. With which company has OLX inked a unique tie-up that will leverage each other's strengths to offer the combined benefits of their platforms to their internet base?

3. Which youth fashion brand from Madurai-based Madura Fashion & Lifestyle has launched its campaign #StartTrending?

4. New Delhi-based Carnation Hospitality has acquired which company for 100 crore from Lavazza Spa?

5. The full-service airline by the Tata Group and Singapore International Airlines (SIA) is likely to be launched by October. What has it been branded as?

6. Which automobile MNC is betting on a first of-its-kind initiative of relying on data scientists at its Bangalore research unit to improve quality of its marquee cars?

7. Jet Airways has announced that it will do away with which two brands, moving out of the low-cost carrier space?

8. Which automobile brand is being advertised with the positioning ‘Un-compromise’?

9. Which actress has been signed on to endorse Neutrogena?

10. Which tourism department has touched a new milestone on social media by crossing the one-million-fan mark on its Facebook page?

11. Colgate-Palmolive (India) has launched a campaign #Whattheblack to launch which first-in-India product?

12. Which company has acquired Lanco Infratech's 1,200 mw Udupi thermal power plant in an Rs 6,000-crore transaction?

13. Two-wheeler maker Hero Electric last week launched a new scooter model. What has it been branded as?

14. Big Magic Bihar and Jharkhand, run by Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL), has donned a new identity. What is it now known as?

15. Which company has launched JanBus, the world's first front-engine, full-flat, low-floor bus?

16. Which IT firm will buy US-based e-commerce technology firm Professional Access from 3i Infotech?

17. ITC group has forayed into electronic cigarettes under which brand?

18. Which MNC is making cash payment of $2.15 billion for a 16.7 percent stake in Monster Beverage Corp?

19. Which MNC will buy SmartThings, a startup backed by PayPal co-founder Max Levchin that helps connect household devices?

20. Which FMCG major is splitting its home and personal care (HPC) business into two separate divisions for a sharper marketing focus?

21. Jaspreet Bindra has quit as the CEO of which company?

22. Tata Motors launched its all-new compact sedan last week. Name the brand?

23. Harish Badami has assumed office as CEO and Managing Director of which cement company last week?

24. Aloft Hotels, the tech-forward, innovation hub for millennial-minded travellers, has announced the appointment of a new butler at Aloft Cupertino. Why did this make news?

25. Which company is set to launch what it claims as the world’s cheapest smartphone in India with a price tag of about Rs 2,000?

26. IBM Simon mobile phone turned 20 on August 16. What is its claim to fame?

27. Which MNC retailer is planning to rope in young students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to design its global collection?

28. Which MNC is buying JetPac Inc, the startup that designs social travel applications?

29. Which company will acquire smaller rival Welspun Maxsteel for about Rs 1,000 crore?

30. For the first time in its history, Tata Consultancy Services is shutting down its unit and exiting a country as it could not get enough outsourcing volumes. Which country?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 542 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 541

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

1. Which brand has topped the latest edition of The Economic Times and Interbrand Best Indian Brands study?

2. Which menswear brand is claiming to be the only retail giant to launch its own show - `In Pursuit of Excellence'?

3. Which innerwear brand has come out with a new television campaign titled ‘Move’, targeting youngsters in the age group of 18-25 years, who are impatient and unwilling to compromise?

4. Which Indian handset major has roped in a Japanese researcher to make a phone battery that's twice as powerful as and thinner than any other smartphone battery?

5. Which MNC is setting up the world’s largest scooter plant in Gujarat?

6. Bajaj Auto has created which two new internal records for sales in a month for July 2014?

7. Which cosmetics major has announced the appointment of Romulus Marian Sirbu as the Managing Director of Indian operations?

8. Nissan Motor has said it would replace which model with a new product in India by 2016?

9. Who is Hollywood's highest paid actress with estimated earnings of $51 million over 12 months, as per the latest ranking from Forbes magazine?

10. Which company has emerged as India’s top handset maker for the April – June 2014 period?

11. Getit Infomedia has signed up which celebrity as the brand ambassador to promote 'askmebazaar.com'?

12. 'Sharknado' actress Tara Reid is launching a new perfume inspired by her popular shark drama. What has it been branded as?

13. Multi Screen Media (MSM) is launching a new general entertainment channel (GEC) on September 1. What has it been branded as?

14. Which portal has launched its latest campaign ‘No Darr. Find Ghar’?

15. Comedian Kapil Sharma plays the role of an unused juicer mixer in the television commercial for which brand?

16. Which London-based agency has agreed to acquire February India, an independent advertising agency based in Delhi, through a 10 year structured deal?

17. Fiat has launched a new variant of Punto. What has it been sub-branded as?

18. Which airline from India last week announced that it has entered into a reciprocal code-share pact with Vietnam's national carrier, Vietnam Airlines?

19. P Balaji has resigned as the managing director of the Indian operations of which MNC?

20. Which Indonesian food products company has taken a plunge into the fast-growing Indian instant noodles market with its product Joymee?

21. Pawan Munjal has been elevated to which position at Hero MotoCorp?

22. Cerner Corp is buying the health information technology business unit of which MNC for $1.3 billion in cash?

23. Which IT MNC has appointed Dilipkumar Khandelwal as the managing director for its Indian operations?

24. Which US-based solar power project developer has announced that it would be making its India debut by setting up a solar project in Telangana?

25. How many Indians are among Fortune magazine's maiden 'Big Data All-Stars' list of 20 extraordinary people who are "the best at connecting the dots and digging deep."?

26. Which tyre brand has partnered Mahindra Adventure to launch 'Monastery Escape', a campaign for SUV owners and offroading enthusiasts?

27. Which advertising group plans to set up a sports arm in India to tap opportunities in the country's nascent sports marketing segment?

28. Amara Raja Batteries Ltd has crossed which quarterly sales revenue milestone for the first quarter?

29. Arijit Basu has taken over as Managing Director and CEO of which insurance company?

30. Which brand has topped consulting firm Brand Finance India’s annual study, which evaluates the country’s most powerful and valuable brands?

31. Legendary cartoonist Mr Pran Kumar Sharma died in Gurgaon last week. He is creator of which iconic character?

32. Which MNC has announced that the entire range of its Interactive Entertainment Business (IEB) portfolio would be available in India exclusively on Amazon.in beginning September 1, 2014?

33. Which luxury fashion brand has announced its Fall 2014 global advertising campaign la víe en rope?

34. Actors Dhanush and Adah Sharma will soon be seen in a new television commercial for which confectionary brand?

35. Which jewellery brand has launched ‘One Love’, a pan-India OOH campaign to promote its anniversary range of solitaires?

36. Which luxury ladies handbags brand has launched its campaign ‘mancraft’?

37. German carmaker Audi introduced which new sedan in India last week?

38. Which MNC is buying California-based cybersecurity startup PrivateCore, in a move to boost defences of its vast server network?

39. Which MNC launched seven super premium bicycles in the country last week?

40. Rakesh K Sarna will be the new MD & CEO of which hospitality major?

41. The government has appointed H Kumar as the managing director of which subsidiary of ONGC?

42. Philips India has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador for its beauty business, which includes a range of hair and depilation devices?

43. Honda’s compact sedan Amaze has crossed which sales milestone in India?

44. Which London shirt maker has won a trademark court case in Britain against US lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret?

45. The labour ministry has appointed which business entity as a knowledge partner for enhancing employability and entrepreneurship among the youth?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 541 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 540

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week July 28 - August 02. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which company has signed an initial agreement to acquire the entire hydroelectricity portfolio of the Jaiprakash Group for about Rs 12,000 crore?

2. Which agency has acquired majority stake in privately held Milestone Brandcom, one of the largest out-of-home (OOH) agencies in India, for an undisclosed sum?

3. M G Parameswaran has been elected president of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) for the year 2014-15. He is the advisor to which ad agency?

4. Who has emerged as the top paid CEO in India last year, having taken home Rs 37.88 crore?

5. Which business personality has announced his foray into film production by investing in startup entertainment firm Cinestaan Entertainment?

6. Which brand has launched its ‘The Smartphone Network’ (TSN) advertising campaign?

7. HCL Tech’s R Srikrishna has joined which IT company as CEO?

8. Which online payment provider has appointed Vikram Narayan as the Country Manager of its India operations?

9. By opening up 362 retail outlets on a single day, which company has created a world record, with the Guinness Book of World Records recognising it as the biggest retail expansion by a company?

10. Bharti Airtel has crossed which milestone customers mark across its mobile, fixed line, DSL and DTH service?

11. Which non-banking finance company (NBFC) has appointed Rajashree Nambiar as its Chief Executive Officer?

12. In the biggest round of funding by an Indian Internet firm, which company has raised $1 billion recently?

13. Which MNC has signed an agreement to acquire the German mobile security firm Secusmart?

14. Which company has announced a strategic alliance with and Dutch pension fund asset manager APG Asset Management for investing $1 billion in infrastructure companies in India?

15. Which hospitality major has announced the launch of its new global advertising campaign titled Performance.Art?

16. Rajiv Lall has been appointed managing director of which to-be-launched bank in India?

17. Which social network will shut its 2-year-old Gifts shop on August 12?

18. Which Indian business personality is planning to set up his South Indian restaurant chain Vaango in Singapore next year?

19. Which company is planning to re-enter the men’s denim-wear segment with its Force brand?

20. Which automobile company in Sri Lanka has signed up cricketer Kumar Sangakkara as brand ambassador?

21. Which Japanese consumer durables maker will make India the global headquarters for its mobile devices business?

22. Facebook has signed its first deal with an advertising agency in India. Which agency?

23. Which multiplex operator will acquire Gurgaon-based rival Satyam Cineplexes in an Rs 182-crore deal?

24. Which financial software maker would buy professional tax filing software startup KDK Software India for an undisclosed amount to expand its customer base?

25. Which MNC will spend $2 billion (Rs 12,000 crore) to grow its online retail business in India?

26. Software giant Microsoft has unveiled which brand in China after 14 years ban on the category?

27. Which MNC took a major step to build up its respiratory medicine business by striking a deal worth up to $ 2.1 billion for the rights to Spanish group Almirall’s lung drugs?

28. Which Punjabi daily recently ran a signature campaign titled 'Maa Boli Punjabi' to celebrate its 36th year?

29. Which company, specialising in pipes and fittings, has come out with a television campaign for the first time?

30. Mahindra & Mahindra’s XUV 5oo has crossed which sales milestone in the Indian market recently?

31. Saif Ali Khan has been roped in as brand ambassador for which deo brand?

32. Chandramouli Venkatesan is the new Indian head for which MNC?

33. Which retail MNC has hired former PepsiCo executive Brian Cornell as chief executive officer?

34. NRI businessman Apurv Bagri has acquired a controlling stake which Indian denim maker?

35. Facebook last week launched an app that will give users free access to its social network as well as other critical internet sites. Which country?

36. Samsung’s new TV - UN78S9B – went on sale in South Korea last week. What is its claim to fame?

37. Hyundai Motor has revealed the design renderings of the all-new hatchback, which will be launched on August 11 in India. What has it been branded as?

38. Senior IRS officer KV Chowdary has been appointed as the new chairman of which policy making body?

39. The board of directors which entity last week elected Jethabhai Patel as their new Chairman?

40. Which MNC has launched its latest digital campaign #BackToSchool on the eve of Friendship Day?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 540 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli