Eiffel Tower General Manager Patrick Branco Ruivo Leaves His Position

Patrick Branco Ruivo, general manager of the company that operates the Eiffel Tower, announced that he will leave his post during the visit of senior Hindu officials, while discussions about replacing female employees with men continue.

According to the French press, Ruivo informed the employees and board of directors of Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE) on Tuesday that he would leave his position by the end of the year.

Ruivo denied giving “any instructions aimed at sidelining or displacing women” during a visit to the memorial by members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a global conservative Hindu religious organization, on September 5. But regarding this incident, she said, "Still, women were really pushed aside and I'm sorry for that."

According to French media, a separate investigation initiated by the City of Paris is still ongoing.

402 people work at the Eiffel Tower, one of the most visited places in Paris. The tower hosts 6.7 million visitors a year and generates a turnover of 156 million euros.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The scandal broke out after Eiffel Tower employees said that during a BAPS delegation's visit in early September, management gave instructions that led to female staff being "excluded, replaced and made invisible because of their gender".

In the statement made by Kule employees, it was stated that "Some women were asked to leave their places of duty and retreat to other areas. In some places, they were replaced by men. In addition, all women employees were instructed not to pass or exceed certain areas while the delegation was present."

This situation led to a strike and caused the tower to be closed to visitors on September 7.