Eiffel Tower Chief Patrick Branco Ruivo to Step Down After Female Staff Excluded During Hindu Group Visit
Patrick Branco Ruivo, the director general of the company managing the Eiffel Tower, is stepping down from his role at the end of the year. His departure follows an independent investigation into an incident in which female employees were asked to vacate their posts during a private visit by a religious delegation.
Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the company operating Paris’ Eiffel Tower, will leave his post at the end of 2026 following an independent investigation into the exclusion of female employees during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation. The September 5 incident led to a staff strike and temporary closure of the landmark, after employees objected to arrangements that kept women away from the visiting group.
What Happened During the Visit?
The incident involved a delegation associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu organisation. The group was visiting Paris during celebrations linked to the inauguration of a traditional Hindu temple in Bussy-Saint-Georges, east of Paris. Eiffel Tower Closes Temporarily After Female Staff Sidelined During Hindu Delegation's Visit.
According to employees and union representatives, female staff members were moved away from their regular workstations during the September 5 visit. Some women were reportedly replaced by male colleagues, while others were instructed to remain away from certain areas while the delegation was present.
SETE, the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, acknowledged that the delegation had requested arrangements limiting interactions with women and said those conditions should not have been accepted. Eiffel Tower Lightning Strike Video: Dramatic Clip Viral on Social Media After Paris Storms.
Staff Strike and Eiffel Tower Closure
The incident prompted Eiffel Tower employees to stage a strike on September 7. The landmark was closed to visitors for the day as staff protested against the management instructions concerning female employees.
Paris authorities ordered investigations into how the visit was organised and how the decisions affecting staff were made. The city government said gender equality was a fundamental principle that could not be set aside.
Investigation Finds Operational Failures
SETE said on September 29 that an independent investigation identified a series of operational failures and shortcomings connected to the organisation of the September 5 visit.
The company said those failures resulted in female employees being excluded from the visit and described the situation as unacceptable. Following the findings, Ruivo, who has led SETE since 2018, is set to leave his position at the end of the year. SETE chairman Ariel Weil has also called for measures and training programmes aimed at strengthening gender equality within the organisation.
BAPS Response
BAPS apologised for the concerns and inconvenience caused by the incident. The organisation said the visit had been arranged in coordination with Eiffel Tower staff because of the size of the delegation and was scheduled around the monument's opening hours to minimise disruption. BAPS also said that, to its knowledge, no one had been denied access to the Eiffel Tower.
The incident has since raised questions in France about how religious visitors' requests should be accommodated while ensuring workplace equality and non-discrimination at public landmarks. The Eiffel Tower attracts around 7 million visitors a year.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2026 11:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).