THE BUSINESS landscape changed almost beyond recognition in 2008. Banks, peoples' reputations and billions of euro of personal wealth have disappeared. Now test your recollection of the events that punctuated a tumultuous year and try the business quiz put together by Business Affairs Correspondent Ciarán Hancock.
1. Who was forced to take cover during a lecture at a Hungarian university after a disgruntled student pelted them with eggs and shouted "give the money back, right now"?
2. Who said this? "There is no question about it: Wall Street got drunk . . . It got drunk and now it has a hangover. The question is, how long will it take to sober up and not try to do all these fancy financial instruments?"
3. Ryanair launched its second takeover for Aer Lingus on December 1st. Who was the chairman of Aer Lingus at the time of its first bid in 2006?
4. IAWS changed its name this year to Aryzta following a merger with which Swiss group?
5. Riverdeep, Houghton Miffllin and Harcourt Education are now constituent parts of which Cayman Islands-registered e-learning company led by Corkman Barry O'Callaghan?
6. In November, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) identified six European countries as being the most vulnerable to a deep recession. Name all six countries.
7. Which third-generation Irish company fended off international competition to win the Sial d'Or award in Paris?
8. Who won the 2008 overall Ernst Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in Ireland?
9. Conai Designs (Ireland) went into receivership in May. By what name was the company's business better-known as?
10. What will Microsoft call the next version of Windows?
11. Who was recently appointed to succeed Gary Cullen as the head of Aer Arann?
12. What gadget is president-elect Barack Obama reportedly not going to be able to use in the White House?
13. Which well-known Irish venture capital executive benefited when social networking website Bebo was sold to Time Warner subsidiary AOL for $850 million?
14. Name the former Manchester United board member who is now chairman of Airtricity founder Eddie OConnors new venture, Mainstream Renewable Power.
15. What Irish firm was acquired by Amdocs in a $60 million deal?
16. Name the PricewaterhouseCoopers partner who was appointed administrator to Taggart Holdings in Belfast last October.
17. Name the popular web service which is used by Stephen Fry and Britney Spears and which Facebook reportedly wanted to acquire for $500 million.
18. Which Spanish company bought two power stations from the ESB in July for €450 million?
19. In what year was Michael O'Leary born?
20. Which group won the contest to operate a multicity easy-listening commercial radio station under licence from the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland?
21. Name the Belfast bookmaking chain that Paddy Power bought in May in a €24 million deal.
22. Who will succeed Liam O'Mahony as chief executive of CRH on January 1st next?
23. How much did the government commit on December 21st to Anglo Irish Bank as part of its recapitalisation programme?
24. Virgin's music retail shops in Ireland were rebranded earlier this year. What name do they now use?
25. What portfolio does Ireland's Charlie McCreevy hold within the European Commission?
26. Which major luxury goods group sought State aid from the Government this year for its ailing manufacturing facility in Ireland?
27. Anglo Irish Bank's former chairman Seán FitzPatrick stood down as a director of three other Irish public companies in December following the controversy over his failure to disclose €87 million in loans to the bank's shareholders. Name the companies.
28. How many basis points did the European Central Bank shave off its key interest rate at its meeting on November 6th?
29. The IEX is Ireland's junior stock market. What does the acronym stand for?
30. Who became chairman of Glanbia in May and who did this person replace?
31. Which two Government nominees were appointed to the board of Irish Life Permanent?
32. In late November, which large multinational company announced a €200-million investment in a manufacturing plant at the IDA Business Technology Park in Wexford?
33. Which three companies this year sponsored the senior All-Ireland hurling championship?
34. What is the name of AIB's banking subsidiary in Poland?
35. Which two groups lost out to
Boxer DTT Ltd in their bids to
secure a licence to operate a commercial, digital
terrestrial television multiplex in Ireland?
36. What high-profile corporate position did Richard Severin Fuld jnr hold until September when the company he led went bankrupt?
37. Pierre Danon stepped down as Eircom chairman in June to become the chief executive of which leading French fibre-based fixed operator?
38. Who sold the Bewleys hotel chain to businessman Tom Moran in early 2008 for a reported €700 million?
39. Which two parties indicated recently that they will make a joint offer for Irish Continental Group?
40. Which blue-chip investment bank merged this year with Morgan Stanley?
The first correct entry (or nearest correct entry) opened will receive a Berry Brothers Rudd mixed case of claret. There will be a participant's prize of a bottle of William Pickering 20 year-old Tawny Port. One entry per person; duplicate entries will be disqualified. Entries should arrive no later than January 9th.
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