Patrick Branco Ruivo, the director general of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, will step down from his position at the end of the year. The announcement from the operating company, SETE (Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel), follows an internal investigation into the removal of female staff members during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation earlier this month. The probe identified "operational flaws and shortcomings" that led to what the company described as the "unacceptable" sidelining of women.
The incident occurred in September 2026, during a private visit by approximately 100 people associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) spiritual movement. BAPS requested that the visit be organized to limit interactions with women. SETE management initially accepted these conditions, leading to a staff walkout on September 8, 2026, that temporarily closed the landmark to the public.
Union representatives reported that female employees were instructed to leave their workstations or avoid certain areas, with male colleagues moved in to replace them. The CGT trade union accused the company of making women "invisible" based on their gender. In response to the backlash, SETE chair Ariel Weil stated on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, that he has requested the creation of a dedicated protocol department and the implementation of gender equality training programs.
The scale of the impact is felt by the nearly seven million annual visitors who rely on the monument's operations. The labor strike triggered by the incident resulted in the total closure of the tower for one day, affecting thousands of tourists. Following the internal investigation, the company will now implement training programs to promote gender equality.
The next steps for the landmark involve a leadership transition as Ruivo, who has served as director general since 2018, prepares to depart by December 31, 2026. The deputy mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, who ordered two separate investigations into the matter, acknowledged Ruivo's decision to step down as a "responsible" action. The new protocols and the search for a successor will begin to ensure the transition is completed by the end of the year. BAPS has issued an apology for the distress caused during the visit.