Directeur

Directeur is a French noun meaning the person who directs or leads an organization, department, or project. The feminine form is directrice. In many contexts, the term denotes a senior managerial or administrative role, though the exact duties vary by sector. In business and public administration, a directeur may head a company, a division, or an agency. Common titles include directeur général (general director or chief executive officer), directeur des finances (finance director), and directeur des opérations (operations director). In corporate governance, the term can refer to management level rather than a board seat, depending on national practice; in some systems the equivalent board member is called administrateur.

In public institutions and nonprofit organizations, directeurs oversee operations, strategy, and programs within schools, hospitals, museums, research labs, or government agencies. The role often encompasses both leadership and external representation.

In arts and culture, the term is used for leadership positions such as directeur artistique (artistic director), who is responsible for creative direction and programming. In cinema and media, the film director is typically called réalisateur, though directeur appears in compound titles such as directeur de la photographie (director of photography), a technical role focusing on visual cinematography.

Etymology and usage: directeur derives from Latin directorius, through Old French. The word is widely used in French-speaking countries, including France, Belgium, Switzerland, and parts of Canada, with regional variations in specific responsibilities and titles.