Fritz Groothues is a former Controller of Strategy at the BBC World Service. He joined the BBC in 1977 as a producer and then worked as features editor in the German Service and deputy head of the French and Portuguese Service.

His responsibilities included the development of the World Service’s international strategy as well as government and parliamentary relations.

After his retirement in 2001 he has taught media management courses at the Universities of Cardiff and Westminster and a seminar on European media developments at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium.