Eiffel Tower operator to step down after female staff excluded from BAPS visit: Report

The head of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower will step down at the end of 2026 after an independent investigation found operational failures linked to a visit by a Hindu religious group, including the exclusion of female staff from the delegation’s visit, news agency AP reported.

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), will leave his position following the investigation into events surrounding the September 5 visit. SETE said the failures resulted in female employees being excluded from the visit, describing the situation as “unacceptable”.

Ruivo has led the company since the end of 2018. The decision to step down comes after tensions emerged among Eiffel Tower employees over instructions issued by management regarding the visit.

The delegation was associated with Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, commonly known as BAPS, a global religious and civic organisation within the Swaminarayan tradition of Hinduism. BAPS was in Paris for celebrations linked to the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple.

According to reports, employees were told that female workers should not have contact with members of the visiting delegation. The instructions triggered anger among staff and subsequently led to industrial action at the Eiffel Tower.

The landmark was closed on September 7 after employees went on strike. A union official described the management instructions as “unacceptable”, adding to concerns over how the visit had been handled.

Ariel Weil, chair of SETE, said on September 8 that measures and training programmes aimed at promoting gender equality would be implemented. The company’s response follows the findings of the independent investigation and comes as SETE seeks to address concerns raised by employees.

The Eiffel Tower attracts around seven million visitors annually and is one of Paris’ most recognisable landmarks. The September closure was therefore significant for visitors, although it followed a dispute centred on workplace management rather than tourism operations.

The incident is not the first time the 137-year-old landmark has been affected by industrial action. In February 2024, the Eiffel Tower was closed for six days after employees went on strike over concerns about the maintenance of the historic monument and demands for higher wages.

That earlier dispute also highlighted tensions between employees and management over the operation and upkeep of the landmark.

The latest episode has placed workplace practices and gender equality at the centre of attention at SETE. With Ruivo due to leave at the end of the year, the company is now expected to implement the measures and training requested by its chair while addressing employee concerns following the September incident.