BP's ousted chairman Albert Manifold disputes accusations over his conduct

Former BP Chairman Albert Manifold has pushed back against accusations over his conduct following his shock departure from the British energy major.

In an emailed statement to CNBC, Manifold said he'd been removed from his post "without warning and without explanation" and that he disputes "entirely the characterisation" of his conduct.

His comments come after BP's board on Tuesday announced the removal of Manifold due to "serious concerns" relating to governance standards, oversight and conduct.

Amanda Blanc, senior independent director at BP, thanked Manifold's contribution to BP's ongoing transformation but said the board had been "surprised and disappointed to learn of governance oversight and conduct issues it deems unacceptable."

Multiple media outlets reported Manifold had acted aggressively with different colleagues during his brief tenure at the company, citing anonymous sources. CNBC has contacted a BP spokesperson and is awaiting a response.

Manifold, the former boss of Irish building materials giant CRH, had only been in post for around seven months, and his dismissal has once again raised questions about BP's corporate governance.

"During my time as chairman I worked to drive genuine change at BP - cutting costs, challenging excess, and holding the organisation to higher standards," Manifold said.

"I dispute entirely the characterisation of my conduct and I will not allow a false narrative to go unchallenged," he added.

London-listed shares of BP traded 1.7% lower on Wednesday morning.