By Rhiannon Hoyle

Fired James Hardie Industries PLC Chief Executive Jack Truong said he rejects statements made by the building materials company in announcing his sacking for code-of-conduct violations.

"I was blindsided by the termination and unequivocally reject the assertions made by [Executive Chairman Michael] Hammes and the company," Dr. Truong said in an statement emailed early on Monday morning in Australia.

James Hardie on Friday said Dr. Truong's behavior was investigated after employee complaints and he was found to have "extensively and materially" breached the company's code of conduct.

The company said it would look for a new chief executive and appointed director Harold Wiens as interim CEO after dismissing Dr. Truong, who led a strategic overhaul of the company since his appointment in 2019.

"The board provided clear feedback and counselling on the impact that [Dr.] Truong's behaviors were having on his colleagues on multiple occasions," James Hardie said in an emailed statement later on Monday.

Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at rhiannon.hoyle@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-09-22 2207ET