Biz Quizzard 630

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

1. Airbnb has entered into a strategic partnership with which business group in a move aimed at expanding its operations in India and building a more localised network?

2. Which business personality has launched a new smartphone app called Itihaasa that aims to extensively narrate the history of India's IT revolution over the past six decades?

3. Which premium products and services discovery and purchase platform has raised an undisclosed amount in an angel round from Rajan Anandan, vice-president of Google for Southeast Asia and India?

4. NIIT last week launched a new retail training brand to help information technology service companies hire people with skills in digital technologies. Name the brand?

5. How many models from Maruti Suzuki feature in the top-10 list of best selling cars for the just concluded fiscal?

6. Which housing finance company has launched a television commercial to popularize its new tool trueworth(dot)co(dot)in?

7. Which brand has launched a television commercial to promote its DeoStick, a cream-based deodorant that can simply be smeared onto the skin?

8. Ratan Tata has invested in which online retailer that sells eyeglasses, sunglasses, contact lenses and eyewear accessories?

9. Patanjali Ayurved will launch a brand to take on the likes of big cosmetics brands such as L'Oreal and Maybelline. Name the brand?

10. Which film has become the top grosser among Hollywood movies released in India?

11. Stuart Gulliver will step down as the CEO of which MNC bank in 2 years?

12. Which ecommerce company has partnered IIT Delhi and Phoenix Medical Solutions to sell 'SmartCane' online, priced at Rs 3,500?

13. Which online fashion retailer has announced a new partnership with international fashion retailer Mexx?

14. English news channel CNN-IBN has been rebranded. What is the new name?

15. Which well known wellness guru has joined hands with former Nortel and Motorola executive Poonacha Machaiah to launch Jiyo, a health and wellness startup?

16. Nestle India last week relaunched which two variants of Maggi noodles?

17. Which company has become the first life insurer in the country to initiate IPO process?

18. Tata Consultancy Services has abandoned which performance appraisal system?

19. Which company has acquired five companies - Gale Solarfarms, Tornado Solarfarms, Abha Solarfarms, Aalok Solarfarms and Shreyas Solarfarms - for an undisclosed amount?

20. Mondelez India last week launched its second brand in the biscuits category. Which brand?

21. Which automobile MNC has appointed Frank Schloeder as acting president of its India operations?

22. Which food and grocery hyperlocal has decided to sell fruit, vegetables and staples under a private label – Freshbury?

23. Which brand is lauding women entrepreneurs in the television commercial for its jewellery collection Niloufer?

24. The government has issued a notification on renaming Department of Disinvestment. What is the new name?

25. Which company has acquired British lubricant firm Price Thomas Holdings Ltd (PTHL) for £9.59 million?

26. Which company has announced its foray into the dry fruit segment with the launch of a new brand 'KARMIQ- Food that celebrates your youth'?

27. Which MNC last week showcased its “supercar” LeSEE - touted as the world’s first driverless concept supercar?

28. Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Javed Jaffery feature in the television commercial for which FMCG brand?

29. Which smartphone brand has launched its ad featuring MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kangana Ranaut?

30. Former Discovery Networks Asia Pacific executive VP Rahul Johri will be the CEO of which entity?

31. The founders of which Indian startup have been named in TIME magazine’s 2016 list of the 100 most influential people in the world?

32. Jaspal Bindra, former executive director and head of Standard Chartered's Asian operations, will be the executive chairman of which financial services company?

33. Which company has made a strategic investment in Advanced Structures India (ASI), a car testing and benchmarking company?

34. Which Indian company has been recognised as one of the UK's leading employers for women in a list published by The Times?

35. Twitter has introduced in India, a feature through which a brand can share its story via video and real-time public conversations on Twitter, for a 24 hour period. What is it called?

36. Which MNC has remained as the most attractive employer in the country, according to the 6th edition of Randstad Award 2016?

37. Victorinox, the makers of the Swiss army knife ensure, has appointed which celebrity chef as brand ambassador?

38. Ecommerce players Flipkart & Myntra have signed an exclusive deal with which Japanese sportswear brand to sell its merchandise in India?

39. Which MNC last week launched the world's fastest SUV in India?

40. Which is the most influential brand in India, according to the study by global research firm Ipsos?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 630 as the subject.

Happy learning!

rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 629

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

1. Which handset maker has signed up MS Dhoni as its brand ambassador?

2. Which advertising agency has rolled out a recruitment campaign called ‘Troublemakers’?

3. Which MNC has acquired employee and manager feedback startup Peer founded by former Salesforce chief operating officer George Hu?

4. Which Indian actor has invested an undisclosed amount in Indi(dot)com, a global video social network that's set to launch in India?

5. Which company has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire 9X Media, the company that runs a clutch of music channels including 9XM?

6. In the largest ever space transaction by any international retailer on high streets across the country, which brand has picked up 50,000 sq ft carpet space in South Mumbai's Flora Fountain?

7. Which television actor will soon launch TheBagTalk(dot)com in partnership with High Spirit Commercial Ventures (HSCV) in Mumbai?

8. Which MNC bank will close its corporate banking operations in India as part of a plan to sell or shut businesses in two-thirds of the countries it operates in?

9. Which company is coming out with an all-new Massey Ferguson (MF) SMART series of tractors in the 30 to 60 hp (horse power) segment?

10. Maruti Suzuki will launch a new compact car this year. What will it be branded as?

11. Which steel company will sell its long products Europe business to investment firm Greybull Capital for a “nominal” consideration?

12. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) last week unveiled a next generation technology in the money transfer space. What has it been branded as?

13. Which company has become the first entity to receive final approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to start a payments bank?

14. Suzuki Swift has crossed which global sales milestone?

15. Manna Foods, makers of Manna range of Health products, has roped in which cricketer as its global brand ambassador?

16. Which media buying and planning agency plans to bring two of its brands - Optimedia|Blue449 and Mediavest|Spark - to India within a year as part of its recent restructuring?

17. Which company has acquired UK-based Silampos for an undisclosed sum, through which it has gained full control of table and cookware supplier Horwood Homewares?

18. Which Indian train has been ranked among the top-rated trains in the world, according to a New World Wealth survey?

19. Media veteran Raghav Bahl’s Quintillion Media has forged a joint venture with which MNC to start a new business news channel and a website?

20. Gurgaon, the corporate hub of Haryana on the outskirts of Delhi, has been renamed. What is the new name?

21. Which company has joined hands with Tata Motors to launch IndiKarting National Series, which will kick off in Pune on 23 April?

22. Which MNC chip maker plans to makes inroads in India’s electronics sector and has tied up with HSMC for chip manufacturing in the country?

23. Which aggregator of beauty salon doorstep services, funded by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, will become a part of Naturals, the nation's largest salon chain?

24. Amazon has launched a new version of Kindle. What has it been branded as?

25. Which smartphone brand has unveiled a new logo and tagline `Nuts, Guts, Glory'?

26. Dubai-based Emaar Properties PJSC has decided to part ways with which Indian joint venture partner?

27. Which Chennai-based company has bought Delhi-based Airwoot, which uses machine learning to help brands deliver high-speed customer service on social media?

28. Mumbai-based errand-running service GetMyPeon, founded in 2012, has renamed itself. What is the new name?

29. Which handset maker has launched its new campaign with the theme ‘Faster than Faster’?

30. T-Series has claimed to have become the first South Asian channel to cross which milestone subscriber mark on YouTube?

31. Which American real estate firm has signed its first commercial office deal in India with private equity fund and developer IREO in Gurgaon?

32. Mr Satyanand Munjal, 98, passed away last week. He was the co-founder of which company?

33. Which country was the world's largest recipient of remittances from abroad in 2015, according to the World Bank?

34. Which Lithuanian start-up, which offers a public transport app to help people plan their journey, has entered the Indian market?

35. Which MNC last week launched its latest entry-level motorcycle, the Saluto RX, priced at Rs 46,400 (ex- showroom Delhi)?

36. Which online match-making service has released a new digital campaign titled #NotForSale in order to take forward its social initiative?

37. Which company has roped in rap artiste ‘Badshah’, to create a rap anthem for its air conditioners?

38. India's first airport mall may come up at which airport?

39. Which luggage maker has introduced Track&Go, a sophisticated beacon device that can be built into suitcases, allowing a case to be easily and privately tracked by its owner?

40. Which celebrity has resigned as brand ambassador of realty firm Amrapali?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 629 as the subject.

Happy learning!

rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 628

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

1. Which private equity major has bought a controlling 60.5% stake in IT services firm Mphasis from Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)?

2. The fledgling New Development Bank (NDB), better known as BRICS bank, will sanction its first loan to a project in India later this month. Which state?

3. Restaurant search, discovery and ordering portal Zomato has launched a cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) management product. What has it been branded as?

4. Which brand has unveiled its latest campaign titled ‘Life Masala Maar Ke’, featuring brand ambassador Shahrukh Khan?

5. Which MNC has appointed India subsidiary managing director Manish Sharma as an executive officer, roping him into a group of top officials in the parent company?

6. Which Dubai-based global infrastructure investment and development firm has partnered with Royal Orchid group scion Arjun Baljee to launch a mid-market hotel start-up in India?

7. Cargill Foods India will be the principal sponsor of which IPL team in the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League T20 cricket tournament?

8. Which MNC has appointed Tomohiko Okada as the Managing Director of its India operations?

9. Which airline has promoted its CEO Wolfgang Prock-Schauer as MD?

10. Aadhaar enrolment in the country has touched which milestone?

11. Which company has agreed to buy Virgin America Inc. for $2.6 billion?

12. Which travel firm has transferred its stake in two subsidiaries, hotel booking website LateRooms UK and short-break specialist Superbreak, to Malvern Enterprises UK, a special purpose vehicle?

13. Thirteen-year old Akshat Mittal, creator of which portal, has sold his company to carpool app Orahi(dot)com for an undisclosed amount?

14. Gurgaon-based Divyat Infotech has announced the launch of India's first organic fast food provider. What has it been branded as?

15. The Financial Brand has unveiled the global list of top 100 banks using social media. Which bank has topped the list?

16. Hrithik Roshan has been roped in as the face of which luggage brand?

17. Which courier company has roped in former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly as its brand ambassador?

18. Which business personality was conferred the ISB Honorary Distinguished Fellowship last week?

19. Mahindra & Mahindra last week rolled out its new range of tractors in the 30-45 HP segment. What has it been branded as?

20. Which MNC, along with music composer and singer Clinton Cerejo, and playback singer Arijit Singh, has created the song ‘Drive Mein Junoon’?

21. Which company has forayed into the Philippines with its third dedicated Bollywood movie channel?

22. Which Chinese mobile handset maker has roped in Ranveer Singh as brand ambassador?

23. Naushad Forbes, co-chairman, Forbes Marshall, last week assumed office as the new president of which industry body?

24. Which travel and tour company has launched its latest campaign 'Never Too Old To Travel'?

25. Which amusement park chain has launched a new identity with the tagline 'Badi Interesting Jagah Hai'?

26. Which Italian luxury brand last week announced that it will unify its women's and men's collections starting from next year in an effort to simplify the designer's business?

27. Which MNC has inked an agreement with GDN Enterprises, a part of New Delhi-based Optiemus Group, for manufacturing smartphones in the country?

28. Which healthcare platform is partnering with Twitter on World Health Day to help users get replies from doctors to specific medical queries?

29. Which ecommerce logistics firm has appointed Amitabh Coomar, a former divisional manager for brand marketing at ITC, as its CEO?

30. Who has been appointed as the chairman of the National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) for 2016-17?

31. Which luxury sports carmaker has announced the appointment of former Audi India executive Sharad Agarwal as its country head?

32. Which company has dislodged HDFC to become the largest asset management company (AMC) in the country?

33. Which MNC has acquired artificial-intelligence startup Orbeus Inc?

34. Noida- based Mother Dairy Foods and Vegetables has become a principal sponsor of which IPL team?

35. Which airline will be the first in the world to fly the Airbus A330neo, the latest version of the plane maker's current generation of wide-body jets?

36. Hero Cycles has become the principal sponsor of which IPL team?

37. Which helmet manufacturer has launched a range of bike riding gear and accessories under the `Ignyt' brand to cater to the rising demand from the fast-growing superbike segment?

38. Which on-demand laundry service provider last week announced the acquisition of another on-demand Hyderabad-based player Ezeewash under a structured equity deal?

39. Which MNC has sold Bangalore GeNei, a firm that develops products for biological research, back to its founder S Chandrashekaran as part of an asset purchase deal?

40. Who has topped the Forbes Asia’s Power Businesswomen List 2016?

41. Which MNC has elevated its India chief executive officer Kalpana Morparia to a regional role, overseeing seven countries in addition to the three that are already under her ambit?

42. Which company has launched its first television commercial, with the tagline 'Yeh Ghar Meri Jaan Hai'?

43. Which company has claimed to have achieved a new milestone in the Indian digital entertainment space by becoming the first company to cross 50 million monthly active users?

44. Which sportswear goods maker has launched its biggest store in India at Delhi's South Extension, spread across 4,800 sq ft over three floors?

45. Which MNC has recently launched a new brand, '1893' soda, trying tap into the mixology trend?

46. Which MNC has launched Spectre, claimed to be the thinnest laptop, as thin as an ‘AAA’ battery?

47. Which ice cream brand has roped in Parineeti Chopra as brand ambassador?

48. Which MNC has appointed Zenithoptimedia group chief executive Anupriya Acharya as its CEO in India as part of a restructuring of its leadership in the Asia-Pacific region?

49. Which company has brought back the 'Main Pankha Hu' (I am a fan) campaign to take on corruption, black money, rogue politicians, and employment biases?

50. Which company will buy Aircel's 4G spectrum in eight circles for Rs 3,500 crore through a trading deal?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 628 as the subject.

Happy learning!

rajeev kondapalli

Biz Quizzard 627

Presenting the current affairs quiz for the March 28 - April 02. Hope you enjoy it.

1. Which business group will increase its stake in budget carrier AirAsia India to 49%?

2. Which business group has sold its majority stake in Bengaluru-based Sakra Hospital to the two Japanese companies who were part of the joint venture?

3. Which subsidiary of Korean auto giant Hyundai is all set for an India entry?

4. ALT Digital Media Entertainment is foraying into the Over the Top (OTT) video on demand space. It is a subsidiary of which company?

5. Multiplex major PVR recently launched a premium concept that will house 15 movie screens in one multiplex. What has it been branded as?

6. Which formal menswear brand has launched the digital campaign called #The Unwrinkle Revolution?

7. Which MNC is in talks with India's DLF Brands to open stores in the country, hoping to cash in on the growing demand for branded kids clothing and accessories?

8. Which company will buy 33% of Bangalore International Airport from GVK Power & Infrastructure for Rs 2,149 crore?

9. Which company has acquired gastrointestinal brand 'Actibile' from drug firm Albert David for an undisclosed amount?

10. Which MNC has agreed to buy technology services businesses from Dell for $3 billion?

11. Which Indian company has entered into a license agreement with US-based XenoPort Inc for exclusive US rights for clinical-stage oral new chemical entity XP23829?

12. Which women's handbag brand has rolled out its Spring Summer Collection 2016 backed by a digital video featuring brand ambassador Alia Bhatt?

13. Which fast food restaurant last week teamed up with Mumbai's dabbawalas to announce the launch of its all-new 5-in-1 Meal Box?

14. Which digital payment solutions company has signed up as the title sponsor of the new IPL team Gujarat Lions for the upcoming season of the IPL T20 tournament?

15. According to a report last week, which MNC has signed a pact to buy YOU Broadband for around Rs 400 crore and has sought approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board?

16. Which Indian company has acquired 14 established prescription brands from Novartis in Japan for a cash consideration of $293 million?

17. Which Murugappa Group firm has successfully completed the acquisition of diamond dressing tool business of Star Diamond Tools on a slump sale basis?

18. Sports channel Ten Sports has been rebranded. What is the new name?

19. Akshay Kumar and Twinkle Khanna appear in a campaign for which real estate company?

20. Huawei has roped in which sports personality as its brand ambassador in India for its Honor-e smartphone?

21. Which MNC has agreed to acquire Japan’s Sharp Corp?

22. Which Swiss multi-brand retailer will go solo in India with omni retail platform Gute Reise?

23. Which company has entered the retail segment of the adhesives category through a distribution arrangement with Germany’s Henkel Adhesive Technologies?

24. Flipkart has crossed which milestone mark of registered users in the country?

25. Which company's Netherlands-based subsidiary has offloaded 49% stake in its Colombian operations to its US-based partner Woven Holdings in accordance with the pact signed in 2014?

26. Which money management icon, who popularized emerging-markets investing, will pass on his responsibilities of overseeing the Templeton Emerging Markets Group to Stephen Dover?

27. Which healthcare company has acquired home medical equipment service provider Health Mantra India?

28. Which company has acquired Bengaluru-based mobile payments company PhonePe?

29. Avon has roped in which actress as the brand ambassador for Avon Color in India?

30. Which company’s farm equipment division has picked up 35% stake in Finland's Sampo Rosenlew, a combined harvester specialist, for 18 million?

31. Which company has entered into an agreement to acquire US-based Strength of Nature (SON), a hair care products firm?

32. Which IT company will buy most of Geometric in a share swap deal estimated at $200 million?

33. According to a report last week, which well known business personality has teamed up with Swedish international retailer H&M (Hennes & Mauritz AB) to design a simplistic collection line?

34. Which Pune-based company has announced that it has acquired Genwi, developer of the Genwi Marketing System, a flexible and customisable platform?

35. Tesla has finally announced its plans to come to India. Which model will it launch?

Please mail your answers on or before next Sunday to rajeevkondapalli@gmail.com with Biz Quizzard 627 as the subject.

Happy learning!

rajeev kondapalli