• Sir Richard Tetley Glazebrook, 1900–1919
• Sir Joseph Ernest Petavel, 1919–1936
• Sir Frank Edward Smith, 1936–1937 (acting)
• Sir William Lawrence Bragg, 1937–1938
• Sir Charles Galton Darwin, 1938–1949
• Sir Edward Victor Appleton, 1941 (acting)
• Sir Edward Crisp Bullard, 1948–1955
• Dr Reginald Leslie Smith-Rose, 1955–1956 (acting)
• Sir Gordon Brims Black McIvor Sutherland, 1956–1964
• Dr John Vernon Dunworth, 1964–1977
• Dr Paul Dean, 1977–1990
• Dr Peter Clapham, 1990–1995

Giám đốc Quản lý

• Dr John Rae, 1995–2000
• Dr Bob McGuiness, 2000–2005
• Steve McQuillan, 2005–2008
• Dr Martyn Sené, 2008–2009, 2015 (acting)
• Dr Brian Bowsher, 2009–2015

Giám đốc điều hành (hiện tại)

• Dr Peter Thompson, 2015–nay