The appointment of Tembel, who has been with the firm for 17 years and was formerly Thomson Playford Cutler's national corporate department head, was decided by a unanimous vote of the partners after both internal and external applications were considered, Loretta Reynolds, the firm's chair, said in a statement.  

“It was the board’s view that appointing someone who has built a career with the firm and has an unrivalled understanding of our business was critical,” she said. 

Tembel said he was keen to capitalise on the firm’s core strengths, maintain the firm’s customer focus and deliver “value proposition[s]” to the market across the firm’s Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney offices. 

“Despite the uncertain economic times, the firm retains a positive outlook for the future,” he said. 

Goodridge will take up other business interests back home in Perth.