Can you introduce yourself and describe your role at Abnormal?
I’m Keika Sugiyama, based in Singapore, originally from Japan. I joined Abnormal in mid-September as a Group Product Manager. I was actually the first product hire out of APAC (Singapore/India) with the rest of us being engineers here. Initially, I was overseeing the product for two teams-the SIEM and SOAR integrations team and the Graymail team-both of which support our core inbound email security products.

Since then, my scope has expanded significantly. Now, I also manage the Abnormal Data Platform, which serves as an internal data hub for our product teams, as well as Search & Respond, which is more customer-facing. It’s a fascinating balance - one part of my job involves enabling internal teams with a powerful data ecosystem, while the other is about delivering direct value to customers. It’s a great mix of challenges.

What does a typical day look like for you?
Because I’m based in APAC, but many of my stakeholders are in the U.S. and the UK, my schedule looks a little different. My mornings start at 8 AM with back-to-back meetings - brainstorming product ideas, discussing technical feasibility, updating stakeholders, and gathering customer feedback. Then, midday is my "quiet work" time, where I focus on documentation and deep thinking around product strategy. I also make sure to fit in a gym session in the middle of the day, which helps keep me balanced.

Then, my workday picks up again at night from 9 PM to midnight, when I have calls with the East Coast teams and customers. It’s intense, but I appreciate the flexibility that lets me structure my day in a way that helps me connect with teams in a way that works best with how I like to work.

How do you stay connected to your team while working remotely?
This is my first fully remote company, and I really enjoy it. The flexibility is crucial- especially since I don’t have a traditional 9-to-5 schedule. That said, connection is really important. In Singapore, we make it a point to meet in person every other Wednesday at WeWork, even though it’s optional. It’s nice to have that live interaction, and a nice perk that Abnormal provides. For my global colleagues, we build connections through casual Slack conversations. It might be as simple as noticing someone’s cozy sweater and starting a conversation from there. Those small moments help maintain a sense of team culture.

Why did you choose Abnormal? What stood out to you?
The biggest reason I joined Abnormal was that I really think this is truly a category-defining company. Many companies build off existing models, tweaking them slightly to compete in the market. Abnormal, on the other hand, was AI-driven from day one - it wasn’t an afterthought or a trendy add-on. That foundation was really compelling. I also wanted to work for a company headquartered in the U.S., because that’s where a lot of truly innovative, category-creating products emerge. It felt like the right place to be if I wanted to help shape the future of tech.

What has surprised you most since joining Abnormal?
Two things! First, I was surprised by how many people are based in Singapore. When I was interviewing, I thought there were maybe a handful of us here. By the time I joined, there were 30+ people - which was a great surprise. Second, how much use Slack. My previous workplaces were email-heavy, so adjusting to this fast-paced, real-time communication style was a shift. It’s efficient, but it also means staying on top of conversations across multiple channels.

Abnormal has always been AI-native. How do you personally use AI in your role?
I use AI for the technical and non-technical parts of my job. One recent example is using AI for performance reviews. Writing feedback - especially constructive feedback - requires careful wording, so I used ChatGPT to help refine my messaging. It’s not that I didn’t know what to say, but AI helped me make sure it was clear, professional, and well-structured. I also experiment with AI tools like V0, which helps visualize product ideas without needing a full design team upfront. This is really useful when brainstorming new features, because we can iterate quickly before committing significant resources.

How does Abnormal support innovation and emerging tech?
One thing that stands out is how generous Abnormal is with access to cutting-edge tools. We’re encouraged to explore AI and emerging technologies, and the company even pays for many of these tools so we can experiment freely. That said, in a product role, it’s important not to just chase trends. AI and emerging tech are exciting, but we always need to evaluate how they fit into our larger vision. At Abnormal, there’s a strong culture of thoughtful innovation - not just using AI for the sake of it, but making sure it adds real value.

What does cross-functional collaboration look like in your role?
As a product manager, I collaborate constantly - with engineers, marketing, GTM teams, legal, and more. A recent example is an upcoming Threat Intelligence project. After hearing customer feedback, I connected with our security team, GTM teams, and engineers to explore how we could improve our offering. The product needs to be more than just a copy of existing solutions - we want to reimagine how this should work in the future. What’s unique about Abnormal is that a lot of this collaboration happens asynchronously on Slack, which helps bridge time zones and keeps discussions moving even when we’re not all online at the same time.

What advice would you give someone considering joining Abnormal?

Two things:

1. Learn to advocate for yourself. If you’re in a different time zone, visibility is key. At a remote-first company, people don’t automatically see what you’re working on, so you need to be proactive in sharing your impact.

2. Be comfortable with reading and writing a lot. Documentation and async communication are essential here. There’s a ton of information available, but you need to be willing to dive in, absorb it, and learn on your own. Lean into ownership and autonomy.

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If you’re looking for a place where you can grow, lead, and innovate, Abnormal might just be the next step in your career. Want to join us? Check out our open roles and help us transform cybersecurity forever.