Interim profits at hotel, resort and cinema group Event Hospitality & Entertainment rose almost 13 per cent to $66.9 million on the back of a standout performance from its portfolio of eclectic QT hotels.

The bottom-line result for the six months to December, which beat Citi analyst expectations, was a big win for Event chief executive Jane Hastings, who took charge of the company at the start of the reporting period on July 1, replacing 20-year Event veteran David Seargeant.