▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁Chair man ▁of ▁Es sex ▁University ' s ▁Conserv ative ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁whilst ▁at ▁university , ▁local ▁Conserv ative ▁MP ▁Bernard ▁J enk in ▁appointed ▁him ▁as ▁a ▁research er . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁D ud d ridge ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁purs ue ▁a ▁career ▁in ▁the ▁private ▁sector . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁bank er ▁with ▁Bar cl ays ▁in ▁the ▁City ▁of ▁London ▁and ▁Africa ▁for ▁ 1 0 ▁years , ▁rising ▁to ▁National ▁Sales ▁Director ▁in ▁the ▁I v ory ▁Coast ▁and ▁eventually ▁running ▁the ▁bank ' s ▁operations ▁in ▁B ots w ana ▁with ▁a ▁staff ▁of ▁ 7 5 0 ▁people . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁founder ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁pol ling ▁firm ▁You G ov . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁D ud d ridge ▁un success fully ▁cont ested ▁R other ▁Valley ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁general ▁election ▁for ▁the ▁Conserv ative ▁Party , ▁finishing ▁second ▁some ▁ 1 4 , 8 8 2 ▁votes ▁behind ▁the ▁sitting ▁Labour ▁MP , ▁Kevin ▁Bar ron ▁but ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁ 5 % ▁swing ▁in ▁his ▁favour . ▁He ▁was ▁subsequently ▁selected ▁as ▁the ▁Conserv atives ' ▁parliament ary ▁candidate ▁for ▁Ro ch ford ▁and ▁South end ▁East ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁general ▁election , ▁following ▁Sir ▁Ted dy ▁Taylor ' s ▁ret irement . ▁He ▁held ▁the ▁seat ▁for ▁the