James Hardie appoints Jennifer Kong-Picarello director
Her experience spans more than 25 years across manufacturing, industrial technology and energy management organizations.
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Form Type
8-K
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
James Hardie Industries plc (JHX) appointed Jennifer Kong-Picarello as an independent, Class III director, effective October 1, 2026. She is Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Terex Corporation and previously held senior finance roles at Schneider Electric and Honeywell. James Hardie expects to appoint her to its Audit Committee in November 2026.
Kong-Picarello will receive the standard compensation payable to non-employee directors and enter into the company’s standard Deed of Access, Insurance and Indemnity. The company stated that no arrangements with another person led to her selection, and that she has no family relationships with its executive officers or directors.
Insights
Analyzing...
8-K Event Classification
3 items: 5.02, 7.01, 9.01
3 items
Item 5.02
Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers
Governance
Key personnel changes including departures, elections, or appointments of directors and executive officers.
Item 7.01
Regulation FD Disclosure
Disclosure
Material non-public information disclosed under Regulation Fair Disclosure, often investor presentations or guidance.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, or exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Age: 48 years
Leadership experience: More than 25 years
Finance organization size: Up to 540 professionals
+2 more
5 metrics
Age
48 years
At the time of her appointment
Leadership experience
More than 25 years
Across manufacturing, industrial technology and energy management organizations
Finance organization size
Up to 540 professionals
Global finance organizations she has built and led over her career
Countries
More than 25
Countries across which she has led global finance organizations
Expected Audit Committee appointment
November 2026
James Hardie expects her appointment to the committee in this month
Key Terms
Class III director, Audit Committee, Deed of Access, Insurance and Indemnity
3 terms
Class III director regulatory
"as an independent, Class III director"
A Class III director is a board member placed in one of the numbered groups used by companies with a staggered (or “classified”) board; that director’s seat typically comes up for election in the third year of a three-year rotation. For investors this matters because staggered terms create continuity but also make it harder to replace the whole board quickly, affecting shareholder influence, takeover dynamics and how fast new strategy or accountability can be implemented — like replacing only some players on a sports team each season instead of the whole roster at once.
Audit Committee regulatory
"appointed to the Company’s Audit Committee"
A company's audit committee is a small group of board members who act like independent inspectors for the firm's finances, overseeing how financial reports are prepared, monitoring internal controls, and managing the relationship with external auditors. Investors care because a strong audit committee reduces the risk of accounting errors, fraud, or misleading statements, making financial statements more trustworthy and helping protect shareholder value.
Deed of Access, Insurance and Indemnity regulatory
"standard form Deed of Access, Insurance and Indemnity"
FAQ
AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
What experience does Jennifer Kong-Picarello bring to JHX’s board?
Jennifer Kong-Picarello has more than 25 years of leadership across manufacturing, industrial technology and energy management organizations. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Terex Corporation; her earlier roles included Chief Financial Officer positions at Schneider Electric and Honeywell, as well as finance and audit leadership at Tyco International.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
___________________________________
FORM 8-K
___________________________________
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Date of Report (date of earliest event reported): October 1, 2026
___________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
___________________________________
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) | (Commission File Number) | (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) | ||||||
(Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) | |||||||
Registrant's telephone number, including area code: ( | ||||||||
___________________________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | |||||
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | |||||
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | |||||
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | |||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: | ||||||||
Title of each class | Trading Symbol | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
Item 5.02 - Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.
On October 1, 2026, James Hardie Industries plc (the “Company”) announced that its Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Jennifer Kong-Picarello as an independent, Class III director, effective October 1, 2026. The Company expects that Ms. Kong-Picarello will be appointed to the Company’s Audit Committee in November 2026.
Ms. Kong-Picarello, 48, currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Terex Corporation, a global manufacturer of specialty vehicles and industrial equipment. Prior to joining Terex, Ms. Kong-Picarello was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Energy Management segment of Schneider Electric SE from 2022 to 2025. Before that, she held a number of financial leadership roles at Honeywell International Inc. from 2013 to 2022, including Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of its Intelligrated warehouse automation and material handling business. Her earlier career included finance and audit leadership roles at Tyco International, following a foundation in public accounting at Deloitte.
There are no arrangements or understandings between Ms. Kong-Picarello and any other person pursuant to which Ms. Kong-Picarello was selected as a director, and there are no transactions between Ms. Kong-Picarello and the Company that would require disclosure under Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K. Ms. Kong-Picarello does not have any family relationships with any executive officer or director of the Company. Ms. Kong-Picarello will receive the standard compensation amounts payable to non-employee directors of the Company and will enter into the Company’s standard form Deed of Access, Insurance and Indemnity for directors. For a description of the Company’s director compensation policy, see the section titled “Compensation Discussion and Analysis—Non-Executive Director Compensation” as set forth in the Company’s most recent Proxy Statement as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on July 1, 2026.
Item 7.01 - Regulation FD Disclosure.
The October 1, 2026 press release announcing the changes to the Company’s Board is being furnished with this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1. The information in Item 7.01 of this report (including Exhibit 99.1) is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be filed for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), or otherwise be subject to the liabilities of that section, nor shall it be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act, except as otherwise expressly stated in such filing.
Item 9.01 - Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) The following exhibits are being filed herewith:
Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
99.1 | Press Release dated October 1, 2026 | |||||||
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) | |||||||
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: October 1, 2026 | JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES plc | |||||||
By: | /s/ Aoife Rockett | |||||||
Name: | Aoife Rockett | |||||||
Title: | Company Secretary | |||||||
Press Release October 1, 2026 |  | ||||
Exhibit 99.1
James Hardie Announces Appointment of New Non-Executive Director
James Hardie Industries plc (NYSE / ASX: JHX) ("James Hardie" or the "Company"), a leading provider of exterior home and outdoor living solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Jennifer Kong-Picarello as an independent non-executive director of James Hardie to be effective October 1, 2026.
Ms. Kong-Picarello, a resident of the United States, is a serving public company Chief Financial Officer with more than 25 years of leadership across NYSE-listed and multinational organizations in the manufacturing, industrial technology and energy management sectors. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Terex Corporation (NYSE: TEX), an approximately $8bn global manufacturer of specialty vehicles and industrial equipment with global manufacturing operations, overseeing finance, treasury, mergers and acquisitions, enterprise risk, investor relations and internal audit worldwide.
Prior to joining Terex, Ms. Kong-Picarello was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the then €27bn revenue Energy Management segment of Schneider Electric and before that, held a number of Chief Financial Officer roles at Honeywell, including Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of its Intelligrated warehouse automation and material handling business, and Chief Financial Officer of its Smart Meter Energy business, where she oversaw the consolidation of its manufacturing footprint. Her earlier career included finance and audit leadership roles at Tyco International, following a foundation in public accounting at Deloitte. Over her career she has built and led global finance organizations of up to 540 professionals across more than 25 countries.
Ms. Kong-Picarello holds a Bachelor of Accountancy from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, and is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive). It is anticipated that Ms. Kong-Picarello will join the Audit Committee of the Board in November 2026.
Commenting on the appointment, Nigel Stein, Chair of James Hardie, said, “I am delighted Jennifer has agreed to join the Board. As a serving public company Chief Financial Officer with more than 25 years of experience in global manufacturing, she brings deep expertise in financial management, capital allocation and M&A execution and integration. Her experience in using technology and digitalization to improve business performance will be of real benefit as we continue to execute our growth strategy, integrate our businesses and build on the advantages of our combined portfolio. Jennifer will be a valuable addition to the Board. I look forward to her contributions.”
This media release has been authorized for release by the Board of Directors.
END
About James Hardie | ||
James Hardie Industries plc is the industry leader in exterior home and outdoor living solutions, with a portfolio that includes fiber cement, fiber gypsum, and composite and PVC decking and railing products. Products offered by James Hardie are engineered for beauty, durability, and climate resilience, and include trusted brands like
Press Release October 1, 2026 | | ||||
Exhibit 99.1
Hardie®, TimberTech®, AZEK® Exteriors, Versatex®, fermacell® and StruXure®. With a global footprint, the James Hardie portfolio is marketed and sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
James Hardie Industries plc is incorporated and existing under the laws of Ireland. As an Irish plc, James Hardie is governed by the Irish Companies Act. James Hardie’s principal executive offices are located at 1st Floor, Block A, One Park Place, Upper Hatch Street, Dublin 2, D02 FD79, Ireland.
Investor and Media Contact | ||
Bill Seymour
Vice President, Investor Relations
investors@jameshardie.com