• Fuad Rouhani (Iran): (21 Jan 1961 – 30 Apr 1964 )
• Abdul Rahman al-Bazzaz (Iraq): (1 May 1964 – 30 Apr 1965)
• Ashraf Lutfi (Kuwait): (1 May 1965 – 31 Dec 1966 )
• Muhammad Saleh Joukhdar (Saudi Arabia): (1 Jan 1967 – 31 Dec 1967)
• Francisco R. Parra (Venezuela): (1 Jan 1968 – 31 Dec 1968 )
• Elrich Sanger (Indonesia): (1 Jan 1969 – 31 Dec 1969 )
• Omar el-Badri (Libya):(1 Jan 1970 – 31 Dec 1970 )
• Nadim Pachachi (Iraq): (1 Jan 1971 – 31 Dec 1972 )
• Abderrahman Khène (Algeria): (1 Jan 1973 – 31 Dec 1974 )
• M.O. Feyide (Nigeria): (1 Jan 1975 – 31 Dec 1976 )
• Ali M. Jaidah (Qatar): (1 Jan 1977 – 31 Dec 1978 )
• René G. Ortiz (Ecuador): (1 Jan 1979 – 30 Jun 1981 )
• Marc Saturnin Nan Nguema (Gabon): (1 Jul 1981 – 30 Jun 1983 )
• Fadhil J. al-Chalabi (Iraq), (acting): (1 Jul 1983 – 30 Jun 1988)
• Subroto (Indonesia): (1 Jul 1988 – 30 Jun 1994 )
• Abdallah Salem el-Badri (Libya): (1 Jul 1994 – 31 Dec 1994 )
• Rilwanu Lukman (Nigeria): (1 Jan 1995 – 31 Dec 2000 )
• Alí Rodríguez Araque (Venezuela): (1 Jan 2001 – 30 Jun 2002 )
• Álvaro Silva Calderón (Venezuela): (1 Jul 2002 – 31 Dec 2003 )
• Purnomo Yusgiantoro (Indonesia), (acting): (1 Jan 2004 &)
• Iin Arifin Takhyan (Indonesia), (acting for Yusgiantoro): (1 Jan 2004 – Feb 2004)
• Maizar Rahman (Indonesia), (acting for Yusgiantoro): (Feb 2004 -31 Dec 2004)
• Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah (Kuwait), (acting): (1 Jan 2005 – present)
• Adnan Shihab-Eldin (Kuwait), (acting for Al Sabah): (1 Jan 2005 – present)

From 21 Jan 1961-Apr 1965 the Chairmen of the Board of Governors were also, ex-officio, the Secretary-general of the organization. The functions of Chairman of the Board of Governors and Secretary-general were separated Apr 1965.