Biz Quizzard 587

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

1. Brijmohan Lall Munjal-led Hero Group has forayed into the electronics sector with the formation of a new company. What has it been named?

2. Pratap Bose, former chief operating officer (COO) of DDB Mudra, has launched an independent agency along with three partners. What is it called?

3. Which MNC, along with Bharti Enterprises and Taiwanese manufacturing giant Foxconn, has formed a joint venture, SBG Cleantech, to invest $20 billion in solar energy projects in India?

4. Which MNC is set to name Guillaume Girard Reydet as its first expat managing director for Indian operations?

5. Which food start-up has acquired Hyderabad-based technology company Fire42, which developed a cloud and mobile based `Restaurant Management System'?

6. Which MNC has announced the appointment of Annaswamy Vaidheesh as Vice President, South Asia and Managing Director?

7. Which financial marketplace has launched India’s first flash sale for credit cards?

8. Which smartphone maker has made a strategic investment in ixigo, a mobile travel search and marketplace?

9. Which real estate advisory firm has acquired a Singapore-based property advisory firm LUXE Real Estate in an all-cash transaction?

10. Which celebrity is all set to be appointed the Ayurveda brand ambassador of Kerala?

11. Which stock market veteran has bought five-star hotel Radisson Blu Resort & Spa in Alibaug from Pune's Phadnis Group?

12. Dennis Muilenburg will take over as chief executive officer of which MNC from July 1?

13. Which hospitality major has promoted Neeraj Govil as its market vice-president for South Asia?

14. Which performance apparel and outdoor gear company has announced a new brand campaign ‘Find Your Adventure’?

15. Which bank has launched an EMV-chip-based debit card called ‘Secure+’ that offers multiple security features, including fraud protection and wallet protection?

16. Which professional certification company has acquired Silicon Valley-based Market Motive for about Rs 63 crore ($10 million)?

17. Which MNC has appointed Ujjwal Batria, an old company hand, as CEO of its India operations?

18. Which company has unveiled Ignio, its artificial intelligence platform?

19. How many Indian companies are featured among top 200 Asia Pacific corporations in Forbes Asia's 'Best Under A Billion' list?

20. Which Indian group has acquired a strategic minority stake in OneWeb, a satellite internet company that seeks to provide affordable internet access in rural and remote areas across the world?

21. Which company’s online division has claimed to have become largest etail venture of an offline player in India?

22. Which cooking oil brand has launched a new campaign with the positioning ‘Uttam jhanjh, Behtar Swaad’?

23. Which spirits brand has launched a new campaign ‘Be more than big, be great’?

24. Which entertainment channel has unveiled its new logo and tagline - Turn On - and has signed on Kangana Ranaut as brand ambassador?

25. Which online marketplace has launched ‘Apne Sapne Jee Kar Dekho’ campaign for sellers?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 587 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 586

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week June 15 - 20. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Metal and mining giant Vedanta Ltd and which subsidiary will merge in an all-share swap deal?

2. Which celebrity is making a debut as an animated superhero avatar called Astra?

3. Which online home furnishing portal has bought Crude Area, an art-based startup, in an all-stock deal?

4. Who has replaced the model Kate Upton as the new public face of ‘Game of War: Fire Age’?

5. Which job portal has launched an advertising campaign featuring actor Javed Jaffrey?

6. Not sure if I already covered this before. Pune-based Swipe Technologies has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

7. Which company has launched Ping Pay, a multi-social payment app?

8. Which company has announced the acquisition of mobility solutions company Letsgomo Labs to beef up its mcommerce business?

9. Which mobile multimedia learning solutions venture has been acquired by US-based employee engagement platform Limeade?

10. Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) will soon be launching an all-new small commercial vehicle to take on Tata Motors’ Ace Zip. What has it been branded as?

11. As a part of the Global Wind Day celebrations, which company has unveiled a new logo to represent its mission for the year ­ `Megawatt se Gigawatt'?

12. Which Karnataka-based aerospace start-up has acquired US-based T&K Machine, a company that makes aircraft parts for global aerospace firms like Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems?

13. Which US-based drugstore operator has said it will acquire Target Corp’s US pharmacy and clinics businesses for about $ 1.9 billion to boost sales and prescription volumes?

14. Intelligent Environments, a London-based company which provides banking software, has launched a “more secure” alternative to the traditional 4 digit pin code. What have replaced numbers?

15. Which spice brand has launched its first ever television commercial, with the positioning ‘Tastemakers of India’?

16. Britannia Industries has launched a television commercial for its newly launched premium choco-centre filled biscuit. What is it called?

17. Which MNC has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Mumbai-based Continuum Wind Energy?

18. Which company has acquired premium sports channel Setanta Sports Asia?

19. Which company and US-listed Telephonics Corporation last week announced a joint venture in India to manufacture the new RDR Series of Airborne Weather Radars?

20. Which company will start offering banking services in the country from August 23?

21. Which country has largest number of ultra-high net-worth (UHNW) households, according to the Boston Consulting Group's `Global Wealth 2015: Winning the Growth Game' report?

22. Selena Gomez has become the new face of which brand from P&G stable?

23. Which global leader in fastening solutions has acquired Belgium-based specialty weaving manufacturers Alfatex and Gevaert?

24. Which beverage brand has launched a new campaign 'Chai Shy'?

25. Which Japanese retailer has signed a joint venture deal with Reliance Brands to enter India?

26. Which is the most expensive city in India, as per Mercer's `Cost of Living Survey 2015'?

27. In what is being claimed as India's largest transaction in the online space, which company has sold a luxury property for Rs 5.5 crore?

28. Drum Food International, which owns the ice cream brand Hokey Pokey, has launched a range of Greek yogurt. What has it been branded as?

29. Which MNC last week launched the all-new version of its luxury hatchback V40 priced up to Rs 27.7 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi)?

30. Who is the world’s richest self-made billionaire, according to Wealth-X, a global wealth intelligence and prospecting company?

31. Which tech entrepreneur has launched a cloud storage start-up called Minio?

32. Which brand has launched its latest 'Real Strength' campaign in the US ahead of Father's Day (June 21)?

33. Miles Young will retire as Worldwide Chairman and CEO of which advertising agency in August 2016, after 32 years at the agency?

34. Which MNC has said it would close all 23 of its La Boulange retail locations in US by the end of September as the stores were not sustainable for its long-term growth?

35. Which American fashion label will be entering India's retail market with Gurgaon-based Genesis Luxury?

36. Eicher Polaris, an equal joint venture between Eicher Motors and Polaris Industries of the US, last week launched its first automobile. What has it been branded as?

37. Which location in India has been ranked fifth most expensive prime office market in the world, as a report by property advisory firm CBRE?

38. Which company has launched its latest flagship smartphone, which it claims to be the world’s slimmest and lightest 4G device?

39. Which hair colour brand has launched a digital campaign titled ‘My First Hero’ on the occasion of Father's Day?

40. Which business group will launch the country's first hybrid online retailing venture, a combination of a portal that will list brands and handle payment transactions and brick-and-mortar stores that will set prices, deliver products and provide customer support?

41. Which Indian company last week announced that it had won a multi-year contract from Airbus Group to make and supply aerospace components?

42. Colgate-Palmolive India recently launched another toothpaste variant to address the inflammatory gum problem of Pyorrhea – Colgate Active Salt Neem. Which celebrity is the brand ambassador?

43. Which company last week announced the launch of its first hair growth supplement ­ HAiROOTZTM - to be marketed in India as an over-the-counter (OTC) drug?

44. Which ecommerce major has launched its latest campaign #AcchaKiya?

45. According to a report last week, which brand has emerged as the world's largest spirits brand by volume for the calendar year 2014?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 586 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 585

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week June 08 - 13. Hope you enjoy it.

1. John Cryan has been named the new CEO of which MNC bank?

2. Which business group is selling the last of its textile manufacturing units to a firm called Oasis Procon?

3. NRI deposits in Kerala have crossed which milestone mark last financial year, according to data collected by the state level bankers committee (SLBC)?

4. Which company last week unveiled its new logo and slogan - 'Red. Hot. Spicy' - as part of its 10th anniversary celebrations?

5. Which Odisha-based dairy product company is foraying beyond Eastern India with the launch of MooShake, a dairy-based health beverage?

6. Mr Mike Khanna passed away in Mumbai on June 6th at the age of 76. He was Chairman Emeritus of which advertising agency?

7. Hero MotoCorp is getting ready to launch an all-new full metal body unisex scooter to take on Honda Activa. What will it be branded as?

8. A Delhi district court has ruled in favour of Bengaluru-based event management and brand consultancy Aikya Global in a brand name case filed by which MNC?

9. Finland’s Rovio has signed a deal with which MNC to launch a line of Angry Birds building blocks in a bid to revive its ailing licensing business based on the popular mobile game?

10. Which company will increase its stake in Holiday Club Resorts (HCR) Oy of Finland to 88% for about Rs 200 crore to become the world’s largest vacation ownership company outside the USA?

11. Apple Inc last week unveiled an updated version of the Mac operating system. What has it been branded as?

12. Skybags, the youth centric stylish luggage and backpacks brand from the house of V.I.P Industries Ltd, has roped in which actor as its new brand ambassador?

13. Which brand has launched a new television commercial #YourTimeToStartup featuring actor Rajkumar Rao and with the positioning ‘Your time has come’?

14. Which company launched its latest campaign 'Paani ko #PaaniKiTarahMatBahao', released on the occasion of World Environment Day (June 5)?

15. Which company has agreed to acquire DT Cinemas, a wholly-owned subsidiary of DLF, for Rs 500 crore to strengthen its position in the movie exhibition business?

16. Myntra has launched a digital campaign 'Bold is Beautiful' for which contemporary ethnic wear brand?

17. Which ecommerce giant has roped in advertising agency TDI International as its first official channel partner in India?

18. Which company has rolled out PayZapp, an app that would combine the features of a bank branch and hundreds of e-commerce platforms?

19. TM Bhasin has been recently appointed as vigilance commissioner by President Pranab Mukherjee. He was the managing director and CEO of which bank?

20. Which country has overtaken Saudi Arabia as the world’s biggest oil producer in 2014, according to BP Plcs Statistical Review of World Energy?

21. In what would be the biggest M&A deal this year by a Japanese company, which company has agreed to buy U.S. specialty insurer HCC Insurance Holdings Inc for $7.5 billion?

22. Cable and broadband company Hathway has roped in which celebrity as its brand ambassador?

23. Which engine oil brand has launched a TVC featuring brand ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni with the proposition of ‘power when you need it’?

24. Which telecom company has roped in model-actress Gauahar Khan as its brand ambassador?

25. Abhijit Avasthi, former National Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather, has started a “creative problem solving outfit” in partnership with Sonali Sehgal. What has it been branded as?

26. Which online marketplace last week forayed into flowers and cakes category in partnership with FlowerAura[dot]com?

27. R Ganesh has been appointed as the chief executive officer & managing director of which Tata Group company?

28. Tata group is piloting a dedicated ecommerce portal for over five lakh employees. What has it been branded as?

29. Which personality from the advertising industry is ready to launch Tango Media, a technology-driven company that aims to marry television commercials and content with mobile phones?

30. Who is the only Indian sportsman to be featured in the list of Forbes magazine’s 100 highest-paid athletes in the world?

31. Sunil Lalvani has quit as the MD of the India operations of which MNC?

32. Reliance Retail is in the process of rolling out an e-commerce marketplace that will provide a platform to small retailers to sell products online. What is it called?

33. Which online grocery retailer has acquired hyper-local delivery start-up Delyver in a cash-and-stock deal?

34. Dick Costolo has quit as the CEO of which MNC?

35. Ending this edition on a ‘happy’ note. Which is the happiest city in India, according to an IMRB International study, commissioned by consumer durable giant LG Electronics?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 585 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 584

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the week June 01 - 06. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which MNC has appointed Amit Jain, a former top executive at US-based Rent[dot]com, as its India president?

2. Which company has roped in the former head of Reliance Games, Manish Agarwal, as its new chief executive officer (CEO)?

3. Which airline has appointed Air Berlin's former chief Wolfgang Prock-Schauer as its CEO?

4. Mast Global has launched a startup accelerator programme called Leading Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program to engage with Indian startups. It is associated with well known brand?

5. Which family office has backed consumer internet startup CredR, which is initially focused on pre-owned two-wheeler market?

6. Future Group founder Kishore Biyani has launched a new brand of upscale supermarkets in Mumbai and Delhi. Name the brand?

7. Google has announced that it is working with which MNC to make clothing from specially woven fabric with touch-screen control capabilities?

8. Singapore Airlines is celebrating which occasion by having two Airbus A380s in a special livery, featuring a large Singapore flag-themed design on the fuselage?

9. Which music store has unveiled a new tagline 'My Fun My Way'?

10. HDFC Bank has decided to discontinue what at its ATMs?

11. Which beverage brand has launched a new television commercial (currently on air) as part of the 'Swad Apnepan Ka' campaign?

12. Which institution has asked the Broadcast Audience Research Council India to stop using its acronym?

13. Which Hyderabad-based company has announced the acquisition of ProSoft Group, an enterprise solutions and business integration provider, for $14 million?

14. Which MNC has agreed to buy chipmaker Altera for $16.7 billion?

15. Which company has sold its 49.9% stake in a US joint venture that owns a pipeline network for transportation of shale oil and gas, to New York-listed Enterprise Products Partners for $1.07 billion?

16. Which publisher and online solutions provider has bought out 50-year-old publishing house Universal Law Publishing for an undisclosed amount?

17. Which company last week announced the launch of ‘Seller Hub’, its mobile app for sellers?

18. Which automobile MNC has announced the appointment of Tom von Bonsdorff as Managing Director of its India operations?

19. Which ready-to-cook brand has launched the campaign #MenInKitchen to showcase its Expert Masala Mixes?

20. Which men’s lifestyle brand has rolled out the #SaveLittleShelly campaign to support its on-going efforts to conserve the endangered species of turtles?

21. Which MNC and Yum! Brands, the owner of Pizza Hut and KFC, are jointly marketing a new ketchup and pizza brand -“Twist“ - the first such partnership in the country?

22. Harley Davidson has tied up with which portal to sell its casual merchandise through an exclusive online store?

23. Which MNC is gearing up to strengthen its line-up of sports utility vehicles in India with a new model, Creta, which is slated for rollout in the second half of this year?

24. George Kurian has been named CEO of which $6billion, US-based computer storage and data management company?

25. Which company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 51% in Assam Hospitals Limited (AHL), which runs a 220-bed hospital in Guwahati?

26. Which US-based instant test instruments company has acquired Sterling Test House, a leading commercial food testing laboratory and a division of Kochi-based Sterling Group?

27. Ashish Bhasin will head the Indian operations of which advertising agency?

28. Which company has become the first Indian automobile manufacturer to become a member of the Open Automotive Alliance (OAA), a global alliance of vehicle manufacturers with leading edge technology committed to bringing the Android platform to cars?

29. Which brand has launched the ‘India Ke Hunger Ki Bajao’ campaign to urge people to donate Rs 750 to feed a child for an entire year?

30. Which company has acquired the `Kesh King' brand of hair and scalp care products from SBS Biotech for Rs 1,651 crore, one of the largest deals in the segment in recent times?

31. Which brand has launched its new campaign "Let The Old Make Way For The New"?

32. Which MNC and film director Karan Johar have inked a three-year production and distribution deal, estimated to be worth Rs 500 crore?

33. Ratan Tata has acquired a stake in which fashion portal for women's wear, making it his latest personal investment in technology ventures?

34. Which company has roped in former Kellogg's India head Anupam Dutta as new managing director?

35. Mexican multiplex operator Cinepolis has crossed which milestone mark in terms of number of screens in India, with the launch of its third multiplex in Bengaluru?

36. Which global fashion retailer last week said it will open its first Indian store in Delhi around September?

37. Which Indian city has been ranked 9th in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of attracting international visitors, according to a MasterCard index?

38. Yum! Restaurants India has signed the first franchisee deal for Mexican-styled quick service restaurant Taco Bell in north India with which business family?

39. Which company has announced formation of a joint venture with MMI Holdings - a South African insurance based financial services group - to enter Indian health insurance and wellness market?

40. Which MNC has unveiled the world’s first PET plastic bottle made entirely from plant materials?

41. Which hospitality company has announced the appointment of Rahul Pandit, co-founder of Lemon Tree Hotels, as chief executive officer?

42. Which company has become the largest steel maker in the country, in terms of revenue?

43. Greg Penner will be the new chairman of which MNC?

44. Which company last week named R Seshasayee, vice chairman at truck and bus maker Ashok Leyland, as its non-executive chairman?

45. ScreenYug Creations, the company set up by former Reliance Animation CEO Ashish S Kulkarni, has recently signed a licensing deal with which sports personality?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 584 as the subject.

Happy learning!
rajeev kondapalli