Prime Video Alum Mark Whelan Joins Xicoia

Former Prime Video executive Mark Whelan has joined the AI talent studio Xicoia, which represents AI actor Tilly Norwood, as head of strategy and operations.

Whelan will work directly with CEO and creative lead Eline van der Velden to scale the studio’s vision, beginning with the expansion of Tilly Norwood and the launch of the “Tillyverse,” a constantly evolving digital universe where Tilly and a new generation of AI characters will live, collaborate and build careers.

Whelan joins from Prime Video, where he led its social expansion across numerous territories and spent six years shaping EU-wide social strategy for brands such as The Grand Tour and The Clarkson’s Farm. During his tenure, he spearheaded innovative YouTube formats and played a key role in scaling audience engagement across multiple platforms.

Prior to that, Whelan was a comedy producer at Third Leg Studios, where he wrote and directed sketches for an award-winning YouTube channel he co-founded.

“Mark is a brilliant storyteller with a rare skill set, and I couldn’t be more excited to have him join Xicoia,” van der Velden said. “He understands comedy, character-building, AI, audience behavior and digital culture, which is exactly what Tilly—and the wider business—needs at this stage.

“Together, we’re building something entirely new. Tilly Norwood isn’t just an AI character—she’s a personality, a brand and a future global superstar with a compelling narrative arc. Mark will help us craft and shape every layer of her world, from her humor, daily life and career choices to how she interacts with fans across various platforms. It all promises to be bold, playful, a little chaotic—and impossible to ignore.”

Whelan added, “Becoming a lead architect of the Tillyverse is genuinely 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.

“Tilly already has the momentum, an audience and the cultural spark. Now, we’re writing her story and building her universe. It’s a huge responsibility, but an incredibly exciting one. I think the world is going to have a lot of fun watching what happens next.”