Business mergers and Acquition, Bharti Airtel - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

1)   Malaysian firm Axiata has deferred agreement for merger of Bangladesh operations with which Telecom major?

a. Bharti Airtel
b. Aircel
c. Vodafone
d. Reliance Communications
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Bharti Airtel

Explanation:
Telecom major Bharti Airtel and Malaysian firm Axiata have deferred agreement for merger of Bangladesh operations till September 26, 2016.

  • Merger of the Bangladesh business will be completed in the first half of this year.
  • Bharti Airtel Limited and Axiata Group Berhad agreed the merger has to be expected to be completed in the first half of this year 2016
  • Axiata Group Berhad and Airtel on January 28 signed a Definitive Agreement for merging telecom subsidiaries Robi Axiara Ltd and Airtel Bangladesh Ltd
  • As per industry sources, enterprise valuation of the merged entity is estimated to be around USD 2 billion
  • Following completion of the merger, Axiata will hold 68.3 percent controlling stake and Bharti Airtel had 25 percent while remaining 6.7% will be held by existing shareholder NTT Docomo of Japan.
  • Post merger, the combined entity operating as Robi will serve 40 million customers
  • Airtel has entered Bangladesh by acquiring 70 percent stake in Warid Telecom in 2010 and picked up 30 percent in 2013.


2)   Telecom major Bharti Airtel has announced the appointment of whom as director?

a. Ashok Ganeshan
b. Ashok Singh
c. Ashok Mahadevan
d. Ashok Ganapathy
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Ashok Ganapathy

Explanation:
Telecom major Bharti Airtel has announced the appointment of Ashok Ganapathy as director-Airtel Business with effect from July 1, 2016

  • He will take over from Manish Prakash while moving into a new role as director Strategic Alliances.


3)   Bharti Airtel has named whom as the non executive director in place of Rajan Bharti Mittal?

a. Rakesh Bharti Mittal
b. Sunil Bharti Mittal
c. Ashok Mittal
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Rakesh Bharti Mittal

Explanation:
Bharti Airtel has named Rakesh Bharti Mittal as non executive director instead of Rajan Bharti Mittal. Rajan Bharti Mittal has quit the position w.e.f January 7th, 2016. Rakesh Bharti Mittal has been appointed non executive director of the company after Rajan Bharti Mittal demitted the position of non executive director. Rakesh and Rajan are vice chairmen of Bharti Enterprises from which Airtel is a group company. Bharti Enterprises has diverse interests in telecom, financial services, retail, realty , manufacturing and agri business. On 1st January 2016, Kant was provided additional charge of CEO of Niti Aayog following the completion of tenure of ex CEO Sindhushree Khullar on 31st December 2015.He is a 1980 batch IAS officer belonging to Kerala cadre. Kant is currently Secretary in DIPP. He was also CEO of DMRC.


4)   Which entrainment conglomerate has entered into a deal to buy monitor stake in leading headwear company Osterhout Design Group?

a. Dreamworks
b. 21st Century Fox
c. MGM
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 21st Century Fox

Explanation:
21st Century Fox has announced on 5th January 2016 that it has agreed to purchase a minority stake in leading headwear maker for virtual and augmented reality, Osterhout Design Group. This news comes against the backdrop of hit film “The Martian” in which Matt Damon plays a earth space traveller left behind by shipmates on the red planet.


5)   Thomas Cook has received clearance to acquire 100% stake in which travel company?

a. Kuoni Travel India Pvt Ltd
b. Sita Travels
c. Yatra dot com
d. MakeMyTrip
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Kuoni Travel India Pvt Ltd

Explanation:
Clearance has been received from the Competition Commission of India by Thomas Cook India Ltd along with wholly owned subsidiary Travel Corporation India Ltd to complete the acquisition of 100% stake in Kuoni Travel India Pvt Ltd. Transaction was formally concluded on 16th December and the deal worth INR 535 crore was announced in early August 2015 and Thomas Cook India has said the transaction will close in the third quarter of the current financial year. Thomas Cook will gain control over Kuoni’s India and Hong King Operations and acquisition now allows the acquiescing company to use the SOTC brand (including SITA) forever, which has been the Kuoni brand for 12 months in India and 5 years in Hong Kong.