A power electronic converter for converting electric energy and a method for controlling a power electronic converter are disclosed. The converter includes a plurality of PE switches, and a control system adapted to transmit control information to the PE switches. The control system includes a master controller and a plurality of local controllers controlling the PE switches. The control system further includes one or more slave devices controlled by the master controller. The control system is configured so that the master controller and the one or more slave devices are connected in a ring network topology. Each slave device and one or more of the local controllers are connected in a star network topology.