| 1 | Willy Begert | 1951-1952 |
| 2 | Hans Peter Mueller | 1952-1960 |
| 3 | Charles Johnson (Interim) | 1960-1961 |
| 4 | Arthur Gillette and Glyn Roberts | August 1961-August 1963 and June 1961- Sept 1963 |
| 5 | Jean-Michel Bazinet | 1962 – February 1967 |
| 6 | Michael Lakin | February 1967 – mid 1969 |
| 7 | François Pouliot | mid 1969 – mid 1971 |
| 8 | Anna Pindorova | Acting director 1971 |
| 9 | Mark Schomer | February 1972-October 1975 |
| 10 | Karin Erlenbach | July 1976-February 1978 |
| 11 | Brigitte Battonier | February 1978-January 1979 |
| 12 | Francis Atta Donkor | January 1979-December 1981 |
| 13 | John Read | February 1982 – March 1983 |
| 14 | Sabine Decker-Horz | July 1983 – October 1985 |
| 15 | Cristian Barbé | November 1985 – November 1988 |
| 16 | Alexei Krouglov | November 1988 – January 1992 |
| 17 | Nigel Watt | January 1992 – June 1998 |
| 18 | Patrick Duong | June 1998 – December 1999 |
| 19 | Simona Costanzo-Sow | April 2000 – December 2008 |
| 20 | Roel Forceville | Interim director Aug 2002 – Jan 2003 |
| 21 | Helmut Warmenhoven | Interim director March 2004 – Nov 2004 |
| 22 | Francesco Volpini | January 2009 – January 2013 |
| 23 | Bogdan Imre | Interim director January 2013 – August 2013 |
| 24 | Victoria Lovelock | June 2013 – |