Operational failures prompt executive departure

Patrick Branco Ruivo, director general of the Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE), announced on Tuesday that he will step down from his position at the end of the year. Ruivo has led the operating company since the end of 2018. His departure follows findings from an internal investigation conducted by an independent firm into the handling of a private delegation visit on September 5, 2026. The inquiry identified multiple operational shortcomings in protocol and organization that led to female staff members being sidelined during the event. SETE confirmed the findings in an official statement, acknowledging that the management decisions taken during the visit breached core operational standards.

Delegation visit and staff removal

The controversy began during a private tour attended by approximately 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a conservative branch within Hinduism. BAPS representatives visited Paris for ceremonies marking the inauguration of a traditional Hindu stone temple in the suburbs of the capital. During the visit, management instructed female workers to step away from their workstations or avoid specific areas to minimize contact with the spiritual leader of the delegation. Union representative Diane Davoine reported that female staff members were asked to temporarily leave their posts and were substituted with male colleagues. SETE later admitted that the religious group had requested limited interaction with women, conceding that such demands should never have been accepted.

Ruivo addressed the workforce directly regarding the decisions made on that day.

“At no point did I give instructions to exclude or replace women along the path of this delegation. However, women were indeed sidelined.”

Worker walkout and broader scrutiny

The instructions given to employees provoked immediate pushback from labor unions representing staff at the 330-meter monument, which welcomes 7 million visitors each year. Employees organized a strike that closed the 137-year-old structure for an entire day on September 7, 2026, leaving tourists unable to enter. The incident drew criticism from French political figures, who described the sidelining of women as a violation of French equality principles. Following the walkout, BAPS issued a public statement addressing the situation.

“To the best of our knowledge, no one has ever been denied access to the Eiffel Tower.”

Management reforms and site governance

In response to the investigation, SETE chair Ariel Weil requested the implementation of targeted corrective measures and mandatory gender equality training programs for all site staff. The scrutiny over the September 5 visit also brought attention to broader operational difficulties at the monument. Reports published earlier in September described maintenance and safety concerns affecting staff and visitors across the site. The tower had previously experienced a six-day closure in February 2024, when workers carried out a walkout over wage demands and maintenance budgets. SETE is now preparing for a leadership transition as Ruivo completes his final months in office.