Particle6 hires Sarina Da Costa Gomez as executive creative director

Particle6 (the company behind AI character Tilly Norwood) has recruited Sarina Da Costa Gomez as its first executive creative director.

She is tasked with driving AI and hybrid workflows at Particle6 and enabling partners to move faster, reduce pre-production timelines, and create brand and campaign work at scale.

Da Costa Gomez is also collaborating with sister company “AI talent studio” Xicoia, home of Tilly Norwood, which develops original AI characters for both proprietary and third-party entertainment and commercial projects.

Her first major task is recruiting for a number of roles, including graphic & motion designers, editors, ad-land directors, and AI creative technologists.

Da Costa Gomez worked at WPP for seven years, and joins from T&P & Halpern, where she was creative director.

Prior to that, she was associate design director at WPP’s Landor & Fitch.

She has shaped work for brands including ME+EM, Google, Hawkstone, Jack Daniel’s & El Jimador, Sculpted by Aimee, E45, Havaianas and Kiehl’s.

Particle6 is using AI for everything from research and pre-production to fully realised on-screen executions.

The company says its use of AI is now attracting interest from major brands – especially in the UK and US – keen to explore new creative and commercial possibilities.

Eline van der Velden, founder and CEO of Particle6 and Xicoia, says: “We are thrilled that Sarina has joined Particle6. She brings not only exceptional creative leadership, global brand experience and an appreciation of AI, but also high energy and a genuine excitement about doing things differently. As brands look to unlock AI’s potential, her appointment allows us to scale this division quickly and demonstrate just how powerful — and creatively rich — AI production can be.”

Da Costa Gomez adds: “AI is turning the industry on its head, fundamentally reshaping how advertising gets made by dramatically reducing pre-production timelines and allowing brands to use budgets more effectively. AI isn’t replacing craft; it’s removing the ceilings that shrink ambitious ideas, letting us push our most creative ideas further, faster. I was particularly attracted to Particle6 because of its thoughtful approach: human taste, storytelling and judgement remain at the heart of everything the company produces, and its reputation and superior output are testimony to that.

“I’ve always been a vocal and passionate supporter of a diverse and inclusive workforce. So, as Particle6 rapidly expands and demand for AI-led production surges, my ambition is to quickly staff up with a broad-based, inclusive and highly-skilled team – and become known as a creatively driven studio that redefines how commercial storytelling gets made. It is an exciting time to have joined the business.”