Eiffel Tower director announces departure after row over sidelining of female staff
A month ago, the exclusion of female staff during a visit by an ultraconservative Hindu group sparked a strike and forced the monument to close for a day.
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.
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Also reported by 5 other outlets
- Eiffel Tower chief to step down over removal of women staff during Hindu group's visit france24.com
- Paris Eiffel Tower says chief to step down after uproar over removing women staff thelocal.fr
- Paris Eiffel Tower says chief to step down after uproar over removing women staff iol.co.za
- Eiffel Tower chief to step down after row over female staff's removal during BAPS visit hindustantimes.com
- Eiffel Tower chief to step down after exclusion of female staff during Hindu delegation visit winnipegfreepress.com
