Director-general (plural
directors-general), or
general director, is a title given to the highest
executive officer within a
governmental, statutory,
NGO, third sector or
not-for-profit institution. It is commonly used in many countries worldwide, but often with different meanings. Although in most countries it has a business or
civil service connotation, in the
United States the term "general director" typically refers to the administrative head of an
opera house.