A distributed controller module for controlling a power electronics building block of a power electronics converter includes a plurality of gate drivers for controlling power electronics switches of the power electronics building block, a first fiber optics communication interface for communication with a central controller module, a second fiber optics communication interface for communication with a second distributed controller module for controlling a second power electronics building block of the power electronics converter, and a processor unit for controlling the gate drivers and transmitting and receiving data via the first fiber optics communication interface and the second fiber optics communication interface.