Eiffel Tower Chief to Step Down After Female Staff Excluded During Religious Visit

The head of the company operating the Eiffel Tower will step down at the end of 2026 following a controversy over the exclusion of female staff during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation.

France 24 reported that Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), announced his departure after an internal investigation found failures in the planning and organisation of the September 5 visit. The investigation found that female employees had been excluded during the visit.

The delegation, from the Hindu organisation BAPS, included about 100 people. Female employees were reportedly instructed to leave some workstations and remain away from certain areas while the delegation was at the landmark.

The decision led Eiffel Tower staff to stage a one-day strike, forcing the landmark to close. SETE later acknowledged that the arrangements had created an “unacceptable situation” and said the conditions should not have been accepted.

BAPS later apologized for the distress caused and said it had not intended to request the exclusion of women. The Eiffel Tower’s management has announced measures and training aimed at strengthening gender equality and workplace practices.