Jordan Richards joined Google as an apprentice at 18 and became a design lead before founding &above, a London AI product design and build studio whose clients include Google, Tesco and Revolut. The studio says the Gemini Sales Sidekick agent it built for Google Cloud has 5,000 monthly active users and saves sellers 64 per cent of the time the work took manually. Based in Borough, &above says it is a certified Anthropic and Google Cloud partner. He tells Business Matters why having AI is only the starting point and why there are no failures, only learnings.

What do you currently do at &above?

I am the founder and CEO of &above, an AI product design and build studio.

We help businesses take AI from experimentation into something that actually works in the real world. That might mean designing and building an AI workflow, developing an AI-powered product, or helping a business work out where AI can genuinely create value.

My role is a combination of building the business, working with clients and helping shape what we build. I am very close to the creative and product side of the work.

I started my career at Google as an apprentice at 18 and went on to become a design lead. That experience had a huge influence on how I think about technology. Working with a company operating at that scale taught me a lot about craft, systems and the importance of solving the right problem.

Today, I am interested in applying those lessons to a very different technology moment. AI has created an enormous amount of opportunity, but also an enormous amount of experimentation. Businesses have access to incredibly powerful models, but having the technology is only the starting point. The interesting question is what you build around it and how it changes the way a business actually operates.

That is where I think &above has a role to play.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

I have always been a builder, and creativity and entrepreneurship have always been intertwined for me. My time at Google showed me what was possible when technology, creativity and really talented people come together. But it also made me realise that there was an opportunity to work differently.

When I started my own businesses, I wanted to create environments where people could move quickly, experiment and build things without having to navigate huge amounts of bureaucracy. That thinking eventually led to &above.

The arrival of AI made the opportunity even more interesting. We suddenly had technology that could fundamentally change how products and businesses are built, but there was a big gap between having access to an AI model and actually putting it to work. I did not want to build another business that simply talked about AI; I wanted us to be the people who actually build with it.

For me that is still the exciting part: taking something that feels quite abstract and turning it into something useful.

Who do you admire?

Someone I admire a lot is Toto Wolff, partly because of my passion for motorsport but mostly because of what he has built at Mercedes. What interests me is not just winning; it is the ability to build a high-performing team and create an environment where people continually push themselves to improve. I admire that relentless pursuit of excellence. Even when you are not leading, you do not stop pushing. You look at what is not working, learn from it and keep moving forward.

There are a lot of parallels between elite sport and entrepreneurship. At the highest level, performance is not just about talent or working harder. It is about building the right team, being disciplined, looking after your mind and body, recovering properly and being able to perform consistently over a long period of time.

Entrepreneurship can be relentless, and you cannot expect yourself or your team to perform at your best indefinitely without investing in the people behind the performance.

For me, high performance is not about constantly being at 100 per cent. It is about creating the conditions that allow you to reach 100 per cent when it matters, and having the resilience to keep going when things do not go your way.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

There are obviously things I would change, but I try not to think about them as failures. One of the phrases I have always lived by is: “There are no failures, only learnings.” The hardest periods have often taught me the most. What has changed as we have grown is how deliberately we capture those learnings.

We now run what we call “washups” when something has not gone as well as we wanted it to. We take the time to understand what happened, where we could have turned it around, what we missed and what we can do differently next time.

That is much more useful than looking at an outcome and simply saying it did not work.

If anything, I would have developed that mindset earlier: being less concerned about getting everything right first time and more focused on creating a culture where we can identify what is not working, learn quickly and improve.

I have also learned that building a business is a long game. In technology especially, it is tempting to put speed above everything else. Speed matters, but quality matters too. A decision that saves you a week today but creates a problem for the business two years from now is not necessarily a fast decision. It is just a decision that moved the problem somewhere else. I have become much more interested in building things that can last and scale, and a team that gets better every time we do something.

What defines your way of doing business?

Curiosity, creativity and a willingness to get stuck in.

A big part of my apprenticeship at Google was learning on the job. I had to get involved, ask questions, make mistakes, learn quickly and figure things out as I went.

Some of the best learning happens when you get stuck in and work things out in practice. That does not mean rushing. One of the things I have learned is that moving quickly and thinking carefully are not opposites.

I like getting close to a problem, understanding it properly, making something, putting it in front of people and learning from what happens. That mindset is particularly important in AI because the technology is changing so quickly. You cannot build a five-year plan around assumptions that might be obsolete in six months.

I also care a lot about the people I work with. The best businesses I have been involved in have been built by people with different skills and perspectives working together. Design, technology, strategy and commercial thinking should not exist in separate silos.

And I believe strongly in ownership. If we build something for a client, I want it to become a useful part of their business. A successful project is not just something that looks good in a presentation. It is something that people actually use and that creates a meaningful outcome.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Start building. You do not need to have everything figured out before you begin; in fact, you probably never will. When I look back to being 13 and selling phone case designs, I had no business plan and knew nothing about entrepreneurship. I just saw something I could create and wondered if someone would pay for it. That instinct is still useful. Find something you care about, find a real problem and start experimenting.

Learn how things work rather than depending on other people to make everything for you. You do not have to become an expert in every discipline, but understanding how technology, design, marketing and business fit together gives you a huge advantage.

Look after yourself, too. Entrepreneurship can easily become all-consuming. I have learned to think about myself like an athlete: you need periods of intense performance, but you also need training, recovery and time away from the game. You do not need to be working every hour to be ambitious.

Finally, stay curious. The people who will create the most interesting businesses in the age of AI will not necessarily be the ones who know everything today. They will be the ones who are willing to keep learning, keep experimenting and keep building. That is certainly the approach I am trying to take with &above.

The UK has 200,000 fewer manufacturing jobs than in 2010, a fall of 7 per cent, according to an analysis of OECD figures by the Trades Union Congress, which has called on Andy Burnham to restrict foreign goods to encourage the production and use of British-made products.

The TUC said that had the UK kept pace with the EU average, it would have created an extra 276,000 manufacturing jobs over the same period. Several of the Continent’s largest economies have relied on manufacturing to generate growth and jobs.

According to the analysis, investment in manufacturing as a share of GDP in the UK stands at 1 per cent, compared with 3.5 per cent in the European Union. Manufacturing generates about 10 per cent of total UK GDP.

The figures underline the scale of the challenge facing the prime minister’s drive to reindustrialise the economy.

Paul Nowak, general secretary of the TUC, said: “Manufacturing communities powered the UK economy for generations … now we’re at the bottom of the league table compared to our European peers.”

Nowak called on the prime minister and John Healey, the chancellor, to introduce restrictions on foreign goods to stimulate manufacturing job creation, replicating the Made in Europe scheme under consideration in Brussels.

The EU package is officially called the Industrial Accelerator Act, which the European Commission says is designed to increase demand for low-carbon, European-made technologies and products. It has been introduced at least in part to protect the Continent’s manufacturing industry from overseas competition, especially from China.

“The prime minister has said the right things about reindustrialising Britain so far,” Nowak said, adding that “he needs to make reindustrialisation a national mission and match our EU partners by introducing a UK Industrial Accelerator Act”.

The recommendation follows Healey’s call to European finance ministers last week to let the UK join the Made in Europe scheme.

Manufacturing trade bodies have urged the chancellor to set out the detail of the prime minister’s reindustrialisation plans at the budget on 28 October.

Economists generally believe that restrictions on trade harm industries over the long term, although tariffs and other protective measures can help smaller industries survive the early stages of development.

Verity Davidge, director of policy and public affairs at Make UK, said: “Manufacturing represents around 10 per cent of the economy, supports 2.6 million jobs and accounts for 42 per cent of UK exports … there cannot be an economic revival in this country without it.”

Make UK has previously warned that energy prices are pushing production offshore, with a survey earlier this year finding that one in four UK manufacturers had moved or were considering moving production abroad.

Separately, economists at the Institute of Economic Development have written to Burnham and Healey urging them to define their mission to deliver good “growth in every postcode” with identifiable economic metrics, so that the government can be held to account.

The letter said ministers must “establish a definition of “good growth” that goes beyond GDP and jobs, to consider equality of opportunity, quality of employment, environmental outcomes and the distribution of benefit within places, including who gains and where”.

A government spokesman said: “Our manufacturing industries are vital to the UK’s success and economic growth and our industrial strategy places them at its very heart.

“That is why we have announced significant support for key sectors including chemicals and ceramics, while backing steel and automotive manufacturing.

“The UK also continues to attract major private investment, with companies such as Nissan and McLaren announcing hundreds of millions of pounds of investment over the past week alone.”

McLaren Automotive last week set out a £500m programme to expand its UK operations, which it said would create at least 1,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2032.

About the author

Paul Jones

Harvard alumni and former New York Times journalist. Editor of Business Matters for over 15 years, the UKs largest business magazine. I am also head of Capital Business Media’s automotive division working for clients such as Red Bull Racing, Honda, Aston Martin and Infiniti.

Advertisement

Kali Metals has signed a binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan’s JX Advanced Metals concerning the Southern Lachlan Project, which spans Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.

Under the agreement, JX Advanced Metals will fund up to $498,746 (A$700,000) of exploration activities at the project during an initial phase ending 31 March 2027.

The project covers approximately 1,413km² east of Albury-Wodonga and includes Palaeozoic granitoid and sedimentary units within the Southern Lachlan Fold Belt.

The site is considered to have potential for lithium-caesium-tantalum pegmatites, as well as tin and tungsten mineralisation.

During the initial exploration and due diligence period, Kali Metals will remain the operator and manage the exploration programme.

A joint Exploration Committee will be formed to oversee the progress of these activities.

Kali Metals is entitled to charge a management fee for its role in running the exploration works.

At the conclusion of the exploration phase, JX Advanced Metals will have an option to negotiate terms for either a farm-in or joint venture agreement, with a negotiation deadline set for 30 June 2027.

The current arrangement enables JX Advanced Metals to conduct due diligence and assess the project’s prospects before deciding on a long-term collaborative structure.

The MoU outlines a phased approach for the companies to work together at the Southern Lachlan Project, with future steps contingent on the results of the initial exploration period and further negotiation between the parties.

Kali Metals managing director Paul Adams said: “We are very pleased to have executed this binding MoU with JX Advanced Metals over our Southern Lachlan Fold Belt tenements.

“The JX Advanced Metals’ funding will allow Kali to advance exploration across our large and prospective project area, which hosts numerous opportunities for the discovery of non-ferrous metals used in high technology industries.

“The support from JX Advanced Metals as a potential long-term partner is an exciting opportunity for Kali and its shareholders.”

In February 2026, Kali Metals signed a binding agreement to acquire a 30% stake in both the DOM’s Hill and Pear Creek Projects in Western Australia’s Pilbara region from SQM Australia.

“Kali Metals, JX Advanced Metals sign MoU for Southern Lachlan” was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.

Yes. Corporate subscriptions are available for teams and organisations, with discounted rates as user numbers increase. Pricing starts from $1,625 + GST per user.
Get in touch
to discuss the right option for your organisation.

Business News subscriptions are used by executives, investors, consultants and professionals who need to stay informed and make better decisions about the WA market. When you subscribe you’ll get

• Unlimited access to WA’s most trusted business journalism
• Data & Insights — detailed profiles of WA companies, people, projects and deals
• MyBN — a personalised feed based on the companies, people and sectors you follow
• Special publications and industry reports
• Daily and weekly email newsletters

Data & Insights is a research tool built specifically for the WA market. It draws on more than 30 years of Business News reporting, updated regularly to reflect what’s happening now. Use it to:

• Look up detailed profiles of WA companies, including financials, directors and ownership
• Find decision-makers and track their career movements
• Research live and completed projects across WA industries
• Monitor deals, appointments and market activity
• Access industry rankings and league tables

Data & Insights is updated daily by our dedicated research team, which uses the latest announcements, ASX filings and editorial coverage to keep our person, company, list and project records up to date.

Business News welcome all opportunities to make our dataset accurate, complete and current, so if you have an update request, please email the team at
general@businessnews.com.au, and we’d be happy to assist.

MyBN
is part of every subscription. It’s your personalised view of Business News. You can follow the companies, people, sectors and projects that matter to you, and get a news feed and alerts tailored to your interests. You can save articles to read later and retain only what you need.

Only subscribers have full access to all content on the Business News website.

If staying informed about the WA economy is part of your job, and/or you’re looking for networking opportunities in WA, Business News is built for you.

Business News subscribers are:

• Executives and directors tracking competitors, clients and market movements
• Investors and advisers researching companies, deals and industry trends
• Consultants and professionals staying across sectors relevant to their clients
• Business owners looking for leads, context and market intelligence

Most Business News publications cover national or global markets. Business News is focused entirely on Western Australia, which means the journalism, the data and the intelligence are all built around WA companies, people and projects — not adapted from a national feed. Data & Insights, included with every subscription, combines more than 30 years of WA-specific editorial research with live business data. There’s no comparable product for the WA market.

The Morning Digest Email provides a comprehensive wrap of the major headlines, relevant to WA business, and includes with a snapshot of the overnight news covering oil, gold and ASX-listed companies.

The Afternoon Wrap Email focuses on the news covered by our team of journalists during the course of the working day, including exclusive stories and analysis, all of which relates to WA business and the local economy.

The BN Weekender Email contains a wrap of the Business News from the week that was, highlighting the top stories in each area of WA business.
Sign up for free.

We’re happy to help.
Get in touch
and our team will come back to you.

Billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s industrial giant Ineos is pausing production at its three plants in Hull, blaming high UK gas prices.

The firm said gas prices in the UK are twelve times higher than in the US, and eight times more expensive than the coal-based processes used by Chinese competitors.

Sir Jim said: “We are being forced to mothball some of the most efficient plants in Europe, but with gas prices now 12 times the level in the US and 8 times that of China, we just cannot compete.”

The facilities produce raw materials used to make pharmaceuticals, clothing, cosmetics, detergents, construction materials and military explosives in the UK and Europe. Gas is a key ingredient in production.

Ineos said the move will affect up to 1,000 of its staff, of whom 245 work directly at the site.

But the BBC understands workers across the sites will be kept on while Ineos tries to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) directly from the US at lower prices – which could take up to a year – or waits for gas prices to go down.

Ineos is asking governments in the UK and the EU — where most of its products are exported to — to put in tariff protections against Chinese products.

One plant makes acetic acid, which is used in vinegar, paint and glue. Another makes acetic anhydride, a key ingredient of aspirin, and the third makes ethyl acetate, which is used as a solvent and for decaffeinating tea and coffee.

He said the current government’s energy policy was “economic vandalism on an industrial scale”.

The wholesale price of natural gas — used for heating homes and generating electricity — has almost doubled in the UK and Europe since July.

The disruption of supplies of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz following the US-Israel war in Iran has pushed up prices around the world.

Ineos says that its plants in Humberside are “among the most efficient in the world”, producing materials with half the carbon footprint of US rivals, and only one eighth the footprint of Chinese equivalents.

Two plants are already shut and a third will stop production in the coming days, the company said.

It’s the second time in less than a week that Sir Jim, who also owns a large stake in Manchester United, has heavily criticised government policy.

He told BBC News last week that he has lost confidence in the UK, describing the country as “on the slide”, which he blamed on high taxes and high immigration.

Sir Jim, whose wealth is estimated to be around £15bn, has prompted controversy in the past with his comments on immigration. He was a supporter of Brexit but has been a tax resident in Monaco since 2020.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade said it would be a “concerning time for workers in Saltend and their families”.

A spokesperson said: “We’ve taken bold action to support our chemicals industry including £350 million for strategically important chemicals producers, which will be available on a co-investment basis.

“We’ve also put trade measures in place on foreign chemicals imports and are tackling high electricity costs via our Supercharger and British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme to keep our chemicals sector competitive.”

Yes. Corporate subscriptions are available for teams and organisations, with discounted rates as user numbers increase. Pricing starts from $1,625 + GST per user.
Get in touch
to discuss the right option for your organisation.

Business News subscriptions are used by executives, investors, consultants and professionals who need to stay informed and make better decisions about the WA market. When you subscribe you’ll get

• Unlimited access to WA’s most trusted business journalism
• Data & Insights — detailed profiles of WA companies, people, projects and deals
• MyBN — a personalised feed based on the companies, people and sectors you follow
• Special publications and industry reports
• Daily and weekly email newsletters

Data & Insights is a research tool built specifically for the WA market. It draws on more than 30 years of Business News reporting, updated regularly to reflect what’s happening now. Use it to:

• Look up detailed profiles of WA companies, including financials, directors and ownership
• Find decision-makers and track their career movements
• Research live and completed projects across WA industries
• Monitor deals, appointments and market activity
• Access industry rankings and league tables

Data & Insights is updated daily by our dedicated research team, which uses the latest announcements, ASX filings and editorial coverage to keep our person, company, list and project records up to date.

Business News welcome all opportunities to make our dataset accurate, complete and current, so if you have an update request, please email the team at
general@businessnews.com.au, and we’d be happy to assist.

MyBN
is part of every subscription. It’s your personalised view of Business News. You can follow the companies, people, sectors and projects that matter to you, and get a news feed and alerts tailored to your interests. You can save articles to read later and retain only what you need.

Only subscribers have full access to all content on the Business News website.

If staying informed about the WA economy is part of your job, and/or you’re looking for networking opportunities in WA, Business News is built for you.

Business News subscribers are:

• Executives and directors tracking competitors, clients and market movements
• Investors and advisers researching companies, deals and industry trends
• Consultants and professionals staying across sectors relevant to their clients
• Business owners looking for leads, context and market intelligence

Most Business News publications cover national or global markets. Business News is focused entirely on Western Australia, which means the journalism, the data and the intelligence are all built around WA companies, people and projects — not adapted from a national feed. Data & Insights, included with every subscription, combines more than 30 years of WA-specific editorial research with live business data. There’s no comparable product for the WA market.

The Morning Digest Email provides a comprehensive wrap of the major headlines, relevant to WA business, and includes with a snapshot of the overnight news covering oil, gold and ASX-listed companies.

The Afternoon Wrap Email focuses on the news covered by our team of journalists during the course of the working day, including exclusive stories and analysis, all of which relates to WA business and the local economy.

The BN Weekender Email contains a wrap of the Business News from the week that was, highlighting the top stories in each area of WA business.
Sign up for free.

We’re happy to help.
Get in touch
and our team will come back to you.

An AI-powered running coach