David Groves studied at the Universities of Cambridge and London. After three years as English Lector at Genoa University, he was appointed Head of the Italian Department at the Polytechnic of Central London, and became an examining Fellow of the Institute of Linguists. He then moved to Aotearoa New Zealand as Senior Lecturer in Italian Language and Literature at the Victoria University of Wellington. In 2004 he was nominated Cavaliere dell’Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana for services fostering Italian-New Zealand relations. Since retiring from academia, he has worked as a freelance translator.