IT IS the £200,000-a-year job nobody wants. For the second time in less than two years, the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has hired a chief executive only to see him resign before even starting the job.

Desmond Hudson, a former executive with Scottish Media Group, was due to become the ACCA chief executive on October 1. Yesterday, however, the ACCA said he had decided not to take the job. No reason was given for his decision.

Mr Hudson, 47, had been working alongside the current and longstanding chief executive, Anthea Rose, at the association offices for the past three months. Sam Wong, president of the ACCA, said: “It is with regret that we announce the decision of Des Hudson not to take up the role of chief executive. He leaves with our best wishes.” Mr Hudson last night said that he could not comment on the reasons for his departure, but that a statement would be issued today.

At the time of his appointment in July, Mr Hudson said: “The ACCA’s values are both distinctive and immediately attractive to me. I am very much looking forward to being part of this.”

For the ACCA, the news is distinctly embarrassing, because the search for Ms Rose’s successor has been going on for more than two years. In October 2001 Andrew Hind, director of finance for the BBC World Service, was declared ACCA chief executive for the following March. However, in December 2001 he changed his mind after failing to agree contractual terms.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales recruited a chief executive, Eric Anstee, after a five-month search using the same headhunter, Whitehead Mann.