The chief executive of the organization overseeing the Eiffel Tower will resign by the year-end following an incident where female staff members were excluded during a visit by a Hindu religious group in Paris. Patrick Branco Ruivo, the general director of Société d’Exploitation de la tour Eiffel, will step down following an investigation that revealed operational shortcomings during the September 5 visit. These failures led to the exclusion of female employees, deemed unacceptable by the company.
The iconic Eiffel Tower, a popular tourist attraction with seven million annual visitors, was temporarily closed on September 7 due to a staff strike protesting against what a union official criticized as inappropriate management directives. Tensions escalated among the 330-meter tall landmark’s staff after management instructed that female workers should avoid contact with the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha delegation.
The BAPS group, part of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism, was in Paris for festivities marking the opening of a traditional Hindu temple. BAPS clarified that they did not request the exclusion or concealment of female employees during the visit.
In response to the incident, Ariel Weil, the company’s chairman, announced plans for gender equality initiatives and training programs. This is not the first time the 137-year-old tower faced closure due to labor disputes. In February 2024, the Eiffel Tower was shut down for six days as employees demanded better maintenance and higher wages.