Today we confirmed via agency contacts and Twitter that John Carstens, formerly ECD at SapientNitro Chicago, is now a full-time freelancer.
In March 2011 we reported that Carstens had joined Sapient in Los Angeles after leaving Leo Burnett’s Windy City office at the beginning of the year.
Carsten’s LinkedIn page notes that he moved back to Chicago after serving as co-ECD in L.A. and that, during his time there, he tripled the size of the agency’s creative department (the office itself also underwent a significant renovation/expansion less than two years after he arrived).
Prior to joining Leo Burnett in 2008, Carstens spent time as a GCD/CD at DDB and Cramer Krasselt in Chicago; his agency history also includes stints writing copy at TBWA\Chiat\Day L.A. and New York’s Merkley + Partners.
We currently have little information about campaigns produced during Carstens’ tenure or the details surrounding his departure, but here’s a link to his portfolio.