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Eiffel Tower CEO to resign after female staff removed during Hindu delegation visit

Patrick Branco Ruivo to leave post at end of year after internal investigation finds 'operational flaws' in handling of BAPS group visit

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
The chief executive of the company that runs the Eiffel Tower will step down following a backlash over female employees being replaced by male colleagues during a visit by a Hindu religious group. Patrick Branco Ruivo, who has been director general since 2018, will leave his job at the end of the year, the company SETE announced. An internal investigation found 'operational flaws and shortcomings' in organising the visit that led to the 'unacceptable' removal of female staff.

The controversy stems from a visit earlier this month by a delegation of around 100 people associated with the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu movement that strictly separates men and women in temple activities and building entrances. SETE stated at the time that the delegation had requested the visit be arranged to limit 'interactions with women' and that 'these conditions should not have been accepted'.

Female staff were asked to leave their work areas and felt 'humiliated', according to a staff union representative. Employees also reported being instructed not to go through or cross certain areas while the delegation was present. The incident prompted a strike that closed the tower and drew condemnation from French political leaders.

Yaël Braun-Pivet, president of France's National Assembly, said: 'I refuse to allow women to be compelled to step aside in order to meet the demands of foreign visitors.' The Socialist mayor of Paris, Emmanuel Gregoire, also criticised the episode. SETE's internal investigation confirmed 'operational flaws and shortcomings' and the CEO's resignation is effective at the end of the year.

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The incident highlights tensions between secular public institutions and religious customs, particularly in France where laïcité (state secularism) is a core principle.
  • The CEO's resignation signals that workplace discrimination complaints, even when motivated by accommodating religious requests, can have serious professional consequences.
  • Broader implications for how French cultural venues handle requests from religious or culturally conservative groups that conflict with gender equality norms.

Background

The Eiffel Tower is operated by SETE (Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel), a publicly owned company. Patrick Branco Ruivo had been director general since 2018. BAPS is a global Hindu denomination known for its strict gender segregation practices, including separate entrances and seating at temples. The group was visiting Paris to open a new temple. The request to limit interactions with women during the Eiffel Tower visit was reportedly made by the delegation itself.

Key Perspectives

SETE (Eiffel Tower operator): Accepted responsibility, launched an internal investigation, and announced the CEO's departure, calling the conditions of the visit 'unacceptable'. BAPS delegation: Made a request to limit interactions with women during their visit, according to SETE. Critics (politicians, unions, staff): Condemned the decision as a violation of gender equality and secularism. The staff strike and political backlash created pressure for the resignation.

What to Watch

  • Whether SETE implements new policies or guidelines for handling similar requests from religious groups in the future.
  • Potential legal action from affected employees or unions over the incident.
  • How the BAPS group responds to the controversy and whether it affects the temple opening or its relationship with Parisian institutions.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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