List of Colonial Heads of Mali
(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| Term | Incumbent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| French Suzerainty | ||
| 27 February 1880 to 29 July 1880 | Charles Émile Boilèv, Commandant-Superior | 1st Term |
| Haut-Sénégal (French territory of Upper Senegal) under Senegal | ||
| 6 September 1880 to 3 September 1883 | Gustave Borgnis-Desbordes, Commandant-Superior | |
| 3 September 1883 to 18 June 1884 | Charles Émile Boilève, Commandant-Superior | 2nd Term |
| 18 June 1884 to 4 September 1884 | Antoine Vincent Auguste Combes, acting Commandant-Superior | |
| 4 September 1884 to September 1885 | Antoine Vincent Auguste Combes, Commandant-Superior | |
| September 1885 to August 1886 | Henri Nicolas Frey, Commandant-Superior | |
| August 1886 to 10 September 1888 | Joseph Simon Galliéni, Commandant-Superior | |
| 10 September 1888 to 18 August 1890 | Louis Archinard, Commandant-Superior | 1st Term |
| French Sudan Territory | ||
| 18 August 1890 to 1891 | Louis Archinard, Commandant-Superior | 1st Term (contd.) |
| 1891 to 27 August 1892 | Pierre Maire Gustave Hubert, Commandant-Superior | |
| separate colony | ||
| 27 August 1892 to 2 August 1893 | Louis Archinard, Commandant-Superior | 2nd Term |
| 2 August 1893 to 26 December 1893 | Eugène Bonnier, acting Commandant-Superior | |
| 26 December 1893 to 16 June 1895 | Louis Albert Grodet, Governor | |
| Incorporated into French West Africa | ||
| 16 June 1895 to 1898 | Louis Edgard de Trentinian, Governor | |
| 1898 to 17 October 1899 | Marie Michel Alexandre René Audéoud, acting Governor | |
| Dissolution of French Sudan | ||
| 17 October 1899 to 10 October 1902 | William Merlaud-Ponty, Delegate | |
| Senegambia and Niger Colony | ||
| 10 October 1902 to 18 October 1904 | William Merlaud-Ponty, Delegate | |
| Haut-Sénégal-Niger (Upper Senegal and Niger) | ||
| 18 October 1904 to 20 October 1904 | William Merlaud-Ponty, Delegate | |
| 20 October 1904 to 18 February 1908 | William Merlaud-Ponty, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 18 February 1908 to 16 June 1915 | François Joseph Clozel, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 16 June 1915 to 1 July 1915 | Philippe Henry, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 1 July 1915 to 28 July 1916 | Louis Digue, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 28 July 1916 to 20 April 1917 | Raphaël Antonetti, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 20 April 1917 to 21 May 1917 | Albert Nebout, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 21 May 1917 to 20 February 1918 | Louis Periquet, acting Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 20 February 1918 to 16 May 1919 | Auguste Brunet, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 16 May 1919 to 4 December 1920 | Marcel Achille Olivier, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| French Sudan | ||
| 4 December 1920 to 21 August 1921 | Marcel Achille Olivier, Lieutenant-Governor | |
| 21 August 1921 to 26 February 1924 | Jean Henri Terrasson de Fougères, acting Governor | |
| 26 February 1924 to 31 December 1930 | Jean Henri Terrasson de Fougères, Governor | |
| 31 December 1930 to 4 April 1931 | Joseph Urbain Court, acting Governor | |
| 4 April 1931 to 11 June 1931 | Gabriel Omar Descemet, acting Governor | |
| 11 June 1931 to 31 March 1933 | Louis Jacques Eugène Fousset, acting Governor | 1st Term |
| 31 March 1933 to 22 May 1933 | René Desjardins, acting Governor | |
| 22 May 1933 to 30 November 1933 | Léon Solomiac, acting Governor | |
| 30 November 1933 to 19 February 1935 | Louis Jacques Eugène Fousset, Governor | 2nd Term |
| 19 February 1935 to 22 November 1935 | Félix Sylvestre Adolphe Éboué, acting Governor | |
| 22 November 1935 to 9 November 1936 | Matteo-Mathieu-Maurice Alfassa, Governor | |
| 9 November 1936 to 4 December 1936 | Ferdinand Jacques Louis Rougier, acting Governor | |
| 4 December 1936 to 28 March 1938 | Ferdinand Jacques Louis Rougier, Governor | |
| 28 March 1938 to 15 November 1940 | Jean Desanti, acting Governor | |
| 15 November 1940 to 17 April 1942 | Jean Desanti, Governor | |
| 17 April 1942 to 29 December 1942 | Auguste Calvel, acting Governor | |
| 29 December 1942 to 15 May 1946 | Auguste Calvel, Governor | |
| 15 May 1946 to 27 October 1946 | Edmond Louveau, Governor | |
| French Sudan | French overseas territory | |
| 27 October 1946 to April 1952 | Edmond Louveau, Governor | |
| April 1952 to 10 July 1952 | Camille Victor Bailly, Governor | |
| 10 July 1952 to 23 February 1953 | Salvador Jean Etchéber, acting Governor | |
| 23 February 1953 to 2 December 1953 | Albert Jean Mouragues, Governor | |
| 2 December 1953 to 10 February 1954 | Lucien Eugène Geay, acting Governor | |
| 10 February 1954 to 3 November 1956 | Lucien Eugène Geay, Governor | |
| 3 November 1956 to 24 November 1958 | Henri Victor Gipoulon, High Commissioner | |
| Sudanese Republic | autonomous | |
| 24 November 1958 to 4 April 1959 | Jean Charles Sicurani, High Commissioner | |
| Mali Federation | union of Sudanese Republic and Senegal | |
| 4 April 1959 to 20 June 1960 | Jean Charles Sicurani, High Commissioner | |
| 20 June 1960 | Independence as Mali Federation | |
For continuation after independence, see: Heads of State of Mali