The director general of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower is stepping down from his position at the end of the year. Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has led the Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE) since his appointment in late 2018, will leave the post following an investigation into operational failures during a visit by a Hindu religious group on Sept. 5.
An independent firm conducted the investigation, which confirmed that female staff members were excluded from the visit that day. A statement released by SETE on Tuesday described the situation as "an unacceptable situation." The controversy arose after management instructed employees that female staff should not have contact with the delegation from the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, also known as BAPS, which is a branch of Hinduism. The group had been visiting the landmark to celebrate the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple in Paris.
Following the incident, Ariel Weil, the chair of SETE, announced on Tuesday that she has requested the implementation of new training programs and measures specifically designed to promote gender equality within the organization. The event sparked significant anger among the staff of the 330-meter (1,083-foot) iconic landmark.
The tension led to further operational disruptions at the site. On Sept. 7, the Eiffel Tower was closed due to a staff strike, which a union official characterized as a protest against the "unacceptable" management instructions issued during the BAPS visit. This closure followed previous industrial actions at the 137-year-old monument, including a six-day shutdown in February 2024 driven by employee demands for better wages and improved maintenance of the historic site. The Eiffel Tower currently draws approximately 7 million visitors annually.
