Eiffel Tower chief to quit after female staff replaced by men during religious visit

Following a controversial incident, the Eiffel Tower's CEO, Patrick Branco Ruivo, has announced his resignation at the end of 2023. The decision comes after female staff members were sidelined during a visit by members of the ultra-conservative Hindu movement Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha in early September. The exclusion of women from certain roles led to a strike by Eiffel Tower employees, resulting in the iconic monument's closure for the entire day on September 7th.

Following the incident, two investigations were launched by the mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Grégoire. The internal inquiry revealed significant organizational issues and malfunctions in the handling of protocol visits, which ultimately led to the exclusion of female staff. SETE, the company responsible for managing the Eiffel Tower, is a local public entity owned by the City of Paris with 99% ownership and a 1% stake held by the Greater Paris Metropolis.

With 402 employees, the Eiffel Tower attracts 6.7 million visitors annually and generates a turnover of 156 million euros.