Xicoia, the AI talent studio founded by Particle6, has announced its first major hire: former Amazon Prime Video executive Mark Whelan, who joins as head of strategy and operations.
Whelan will work with Particle6 CEO and creative lead Eline van der Velden to scale the studio, beginning with the expansion of AI actor Tilly Norwood and the launch of the Tillyverse, a dynamic, constantly evolving digital universe where Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers. The Tillyverse is set to launch later this year.
At Amazon Prime Video, Whelan led the streamer’s social expansion across numerous territories and spent six years shaping EU-wide social strategy for major brands including The Grand Tour and Clarkson’s Farm. During his tenure, he spearheaded innovative YouTube formats – one of which (De Knop) evolved into an Amazon Original – and played a key role in scaling audience engagement across multiple platforms.
Prior to Amazon, Whelan worked as a comedy producer at Third Leg Studios, where he wrote and directed sketches for a YouTube channel he co-founded.
Van der Velden, also CEO of Xicoia, said: “Mark is a brilliant storyteller with a rare skillset, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join Xicoia. He understands comedy, character-building, AI, audience behaviour and digital culture – which is exactly what Tilly needs at this stage. Tilly Norwood isn’t just an AI character – she’s a personality, a brand, and a future global superstar. Mark will help us craft and shape every layer of her world, from her humour, daily life and career choices to how she interacts with fans across various platforms.”
Whelan added: “Becoming a lead architect of the Tillyverse is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. AI is evolving at breathtaking speed, and combining cutting-edge tech with ambitious creative thinking means we’re not following an industry playbook at Xicoia – we are writing it.”
Alongside spearheading Tilly Norwood’s growth, Whelan will lead the team in the development of new proprietary AI characters for use by Xicoia and Particle6, as well as oversee the creation of bespoke AI talent commissioned by third parties.
