Erik Bettermann

Director General Deutsche Welle

Erik Bettermann has been the Director General of Germany's international broadcaster since October 2001.

He was elected as the successor to Dieter Weirich in 2001. In November 2006, he was reelected for a second term (2007 - 2013). Prior to DW, Betterman worked for the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen in European Affairs.

He was born on May 8, 1944 in Lindenthal, Germany. He studied Philosophy, Pedagogy and Social Pedagogy at the Universities of Cologne and Bonn, as well as the Academy of Economics and Administration in Cologne. He worked as a freelance journalist for several daily newspapers in Cologne and for a newspaper of the Evangelical church. He is now married with three children.