IMG decoding=”async” class=”size-full-width wp-image-1667884″ src=”https://observer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/07/GettyImages-2284203813.jpg?quality=80&w=970″ alt=”Naomi Osaka celebrates following her her Ladies’ Singles match against Aryna Sabalenka on day seven of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London. Picture date: Sunday July 5, 2026. ” width=”970″ height=”661″ data-caption=’Naomi Osaka celebrates following her Ladies’ Singles match against Aryna Sabalenka on day seven of the 2026 Wimbledon Championships on July 5, 2026. <span class=”media-credit”>John Walton/PA Images via Getty Images</span>’>
As Wimbledon gets underway, Naomi Osaka has returned to the grass courts ranked in the top 15 in women’s singles, this time with a major shift off the court as well. Four years after co-founding sports management agency Evolve, Osaka has rejoined IMG, returning to a more traditional representation structure as the 28-year-old athlete refocuses on competition. Osaka continues to lead her media company Hana Kuma and skincare brand KINLÒ. While she remains deeply involved in her business ventures, Osaka now relies on a tighter circle of partners to manage the growing portfolio alongside her tennis career.
Osaka’s path to this moment has been anything but linear. After opting to compete on the ITF Women’s Circuit at just 14, she rose to become the first Asian player to reach world No. 1 in singles by 2019. A series of breaks for mental health, maternity and injury recovery followed her Grand Slam run from 2018 to 2021, and her ranking dipped to 59 by late 2024. A recent comeback, however, has pushed her back into the top tier, climbing more than 40 spots and putting her within reach of top players like Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek.
Like many elite athletes balancing competition with business ambitions, Osaka has built a team to support her off-court ventures. Here are the key figures behind that network.</p
Stuart Duguid, Osaka’s agent and business partner
Stuart Duguid, 43, represented Osaka for roughly a decade after the two met at IMG in 2016, where he served as a senior vice president. In 2022, they left the agency together to launch Evolve, a sports management firm whose early clients included Nick Kyrgios and later expanded to stars like Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur.
Following the end of Osaka’s contract with Duguid, she returned to IMG, while Duguid remains at Evolve as managing partner.
“You can tell those that have some magic and may touch lives outside of just the ones that surround us when we come to Grand Slams,” Duguid said in a 2024 interview, describing his focus on athletes with “the potential to transcend tennis.”
Duguid and Osaka also co-founded Hana Kuma in 2022 in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company. The media firm spun out independently in 2023 after raising $5 million and has since backed projects like the Emmy-nominated Mink! and Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgios, along with a brand-building initiative for female golfers. The name, which translates to “flower bear” in Japanese, reflects a balance of softness and strength.
Duguid played a central role in Osaka’s rise as a global business figure, helping her become the world’s highest-paid female athlete from 2020 to 2022—a title later surpassed by Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff.
Hill Harper and Ari Bloom, Osaka’s KINLÒ team
Hill Harper and Ari Bloom co-founded A-Frame Brands in 2019, a beauty incubator focused on underserved markets. Through A-Frame, they partnered with Osaka to launch KINLÒ, a skincare and suncare brand designed for melanated skin. The company has also developed other lines, including Gabrielle Union and DWYANE WADE’s baby care brand Proudly.
As CEO of KINLÒ, Osaka shapes the brand’s vision and public identity, while Harper and Bloom oversee operations, manufacturing and retail distribution. Their products are now carried by major retailers, including Target and Walmart.
“Our business is built with diversity at its foundation,” Bloom said in a 2023 interview, noting that 97 percent of the company’s team comes from historically underrepresented communities and half of the board members are women.
KINLÒ raised a seed round in 2022 backed by investors including former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick and tennis legend Billie Jean King, as well as firms like Forerunner. Kaepernick also serves on the company’s board. The broader leadership team includes president Mia Meachem and dermatology director Dr. Naana Boakye.
Alexandre Cohen, financial advisor for Osaka’s investments
Since 2022, Osaka has worked with Alexandre Cohen, founder of advisory firm Heights, to guide her expanding investment portfolio.
The two co-invested in the Miami Pickleball Club, part of Major League Pickleball, in 2023. Cohen has also advised Osaka on deals involving startups such as healthy ramen brand immi and textured hair salon chain Pressed Roots.
Beyond individual investments, Cohen has supported Osaka in building out her broader business ecosystem, including the launch of Evolve and KINLÒ, while continuing to manage holdings such as her stake in the National Women’s Soccer League team North Carolina Courage.
