Eiffel Tower Chief To Step Down After Women Staff Removed During BAPS Visit

The chief of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower will step down at the end of this year following a controversy over the removal of female employees during a visit by a Hindu religious delegation.

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of SETE since 2018, will leave his position after an internal investigation found “operational flaws and shortcomings” in the arrangements for the visit. The company said these failures resulted in the “unacceptable” removal of women staff.

The incident took place on September 5, when members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement visited the Paris landmark. The decision to remove female employees led to a staff walkout and forced the Eiffel Tower to close for a day.

What Happened During The BAPS Visit?

SETE had earlier acknowledged that the Hindu delegation had asked for the visit to be organised in a way that would limit interactions with women. The company said at the time that such conditions should not have been accepted.

Eiffel Tower employees said they were instructed to keep female staff away from certain areas while the delegation was present. Some women were reportedly asked to leave their posts and move elsewhere, while some positions were filled by male employees.

Staff also alleged that female employees were told not to enter or cross specific areas during the visit. They described the instructions as effectively sidelining women because of their gender.

The incident triggered criticism across France, where secularism and gender equality are strongly protected principles.

New Measures Planned At Eiffel Tower

Ariel Weil, chairman of SETE’s board, said the coming months would be used to ensure a smooth leadership transition.

Weil also called for the creation of a dedicated protocol department, along with new measures and training programmes aimed at strengthening gender equality within the organisation.

SETE, which operates the Eiffel Tower on behalf of the city of Paris, said the internal investigation had identified shortcomings in the way the visit was organised.

Paris Mayor Welcomes Decision

Paris Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire had earlier criticised the removal of women employees, describing it as an “absurd, unjust and unacceptable decision”. He had also ordered two separate investigations into the incident.

On Tuesday, a person close to the mayor said Gregoire had acknowledged Ruivo’s decision to step down and praised his commitment to the Eiffel Tower and SETE since taking charge.

The official said the priority now was to ensure a smooth transition and learn from the incident so that similar situations do not happen again.

BAPS Apologises

BAPS has apologised for “any pain or inconvenience caused” by the incident. The spiritual movement had opened its first major temple near Paris around the same weekend as the Eiffel Tower visit.

The Eiffel Tower, owned by the city of Paris, attracts nearly seven million visitors every year.