Eiffel Tower Chief to Leave After Staff Exclusion

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the company operating the Eiffel Tower, will leave his position at the end of the year following an independent investigation into the handling of a Hindu religious delegation’s visit on Sept. 5. The investigation found operational failures that resulted in female staff being excluded from the visit, which the operating company called unacceptable. Ruivo had led the company since late 2018. The incident prompted anger among Eiffel Tower employees after management instructed staff that women should not have contact with the delegation from Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, or BAPS. The organization, part of the Swaminarayan branch of Hinduism, was in the Paris region for celebrations marking the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple. BAPS told The Associated Press it had not asked for female employees to be hidden, removed, or excluded. It said its monks’ personal religious commitments had been explained to management in advance and did not require women to be excluded from places they visited, but the group did not specify what those practices were. The Eiffel Tower closed on Sept. 7 after employees went on strike to protest management instructions a union official described as unacceptable. In response to the findings, Ariel Weil, chair of the operating company, said he had requested measures and training programs to promote gender equality. The article notes that the 137-year-old landmark has previously closed during labor disputes: in February 2024 it was shut for six days as employees sought improved maintenance and higher wages. The tower attracts about seven million visitors annually.

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the company operating the Eiffel Tower, will leave his post at the end of the year following an investigation into the exclusion of female employees during a Hindu religious delegation’s visit on September 5. The independent investigation found a series of operational and management failures that led staff to be instructed not to come into contact with the delegation. The company, the Société d'Exploitation de la tour Eiffel (SETE), described the situation as “unacceptable.” It had earlier acknowledged that removing female employees from the tower’s third floor during the visit was a mistake. The delegation represented Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), an international religious and civic organization in the Swaminarayan tradition of Hinduism. BAPS denied asking for women to be excluded or hidden. It said its monks’ religious practices had been explained to Eiffel Tower management beforehand, were personal commitments, and did not require women to be excluded from places they visited. The delegation was in the region for celebrations related to the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple. The incident prompted Eiffel Tower employees to strike on September 7, forcing the landmark to close for a day, and drew criticism from French politicians. SETE chair Ariel Weil said the company would introduce measures and training programs to promote gender equality. The article also reports that a separate protocol department will be established following the investigation. The Eiffel Tower is 330 meters (1,083 feet) tall and attracts around 7 million visitors each year.

The France 24 item reports that the head of the company operating the Eiffel Tower is expected to leave the post at the end of 2026. The departure follows an incident during a visit by a Hindu religious group, when female staff at the Paris landmark were excluded. The article says the incident provoked outrage in France and led staff to walk out, forcing the Eiffel Tower to close for one day. The report offers only this brief account. It does not name the company chief or provide further details about the visit, why staff were excluded, who made the decision, or the circumstances of the walkout. It also does not describe any investigation, official response, or possible changes to the site’s policies. The page appears to be a video item, but the supplied text contains no transcript beyond its short description. Accordingly, the central information is the connection between the exclusion of female employees, the resulting staff protest and temporary closure, and the operator’s chief’s planned departure at year’s end. The item presents the episode as a significant controversy but does not establish further causes or consequences.