(Reuters) – James Hardie Industries (NYSE:) Industries ex-chief executive on Monday dismissed concerns about Hardie’s management style. Hardie claimed that he had been “blindsided by” his dismissal last week.

Jack Truong was fired Friday as CEO of the world’s largest producer of fiber cement products. He claimed that dozens of senior executives threatened to quit because of Truong’s conduct, which although not discriminatory, violated their code of conduct.

Mike Hammes, executive chairman, later stated that he had called Truong and asked him to alter his behavior. However, a “sincere shift” hadn’t occurred.

Truong wrote in an email that Monday morning, “I was completely blindsided by the termination. I unequivocally reject Mr. Hammes’ assertions.”

“I am… proud of our progress in creating a culture that values inclusion and respect amongst our over 5,000 dedicated employees. Truong stated that customer and employee feedback clearly showed they were proud of our achievements.

Truong’s departure occurred at a moment when James Hardie had ridden the pandemic housing boom into record profits. It also highlighted how much more importance companies are placing on executive conduct than just earning dividends.

Brokerage Citi stated in a note that it did not see any cause for concern about Truong’s departure in the immediate term, however the strategy of the company may be different when Hammes is retired.

According to brokerage, “Investors should open themselves up to possible changes in the future with a new CEO/chairman combination.”