As Wimbledon continues, Naomi Osaka has returned to the grass courts in the top 15 in women’s singles, this time with a big change on the court as well. Four years after founding sports management agency Evolve, Osaka has rejoined IMG, returning to traditional representation as the 28-year-old athlete focuses on competition. Osaka continues to lead her media company Hana Kuma and skincare brand KINLÒ. Although she still maintains her own business interests, Osaka now relies on a strong circle of partners to manage her growing portfolio and her tennis career.
Osaka’s path to this moment has been uneven. After choosing to compete on the ITF Women’s Circuit at the age of just 14, she became the first Asian player to reach the world No. 1 singles ranking in 2019. A series of mental health breaks, childbirth and injury recovery followed her Grand Slam run from 2018 to 2021, and her ranking dropped to 29, however she returned to the top at the end of A20. tier, which rises more than 40 places and puts her within reach of top players such as Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek.
Like many elite athletes who balance competition with business ambitions, Osaka has built a team to support his off-court ventures. Here are the key figures behind that network.
Stuart Duguid, Osaka agent and business partner
Stuart Duguid, 43, represented Osaka for nearly a decade after the two met at IMG in 2016, where he served as senior vice president. In 2022, they left the agency together to launch Evolve, a sports management company whose first clients included Nick Kyrgios and later expanded to stars such as Aryna Sabalenka and Ons Jabeur.
After Osaka’s contract with Duguid ended, he returned to IMG, while Duguid remained at Evolve as managing partner.
“You can tell those who have some magic and can touch lives outside of those around us when we get to the Grand Slams,” Duguid said in the 2024 interview, explaining his focus on athletes “who have the power to go beyond tennis.”
Duguid and Osaka also co-founded Hana Kuma in 2022 in partnership with LeBron James’ SpringHill Company. The media company went public in 2023 after raising $5 million and has since backed projects like the Emmy-nominated ones. Mink! again Good Trouble with Nick Kyrgiosand a brand building program for female golfers. The name, which translates as “flower bear” in Japanese, reflects the balance of softness and strength.
Duguid played a key role in Osaka’s rise as a global entrepreneur, 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 founded A-Frame Brands in 2019, a beauty incubator focused on underserved markets. With A-Frame, they partnered with Osaka to launch KINLÒ, a skin care and sun care brand designed for sensitive skin. The company also launched other lines, including Gabrielle Union and DWYANE WADE’s baby care brand Proudly.
As CEO of KINLÒ, Osaka shapes the brand’s vision and social media, while Harper and Bloom oversee operations, production and store distribution. Their products are now carried by major retailers, including Target and Walmart.
“Our business is built on diversity at its core,” Bloom said in a 2023 interview, noting that 97 percent of the company’s team comes from historically underrepresented communities and half of its board members are women.
KINLÒ has raised a seed round in 2022 with the support of 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 extensive leadership team includes president Mia Meachem and director of dermatology Dr. Naana Boakye.
Alexandre Cohen, Osaka investment financial advisor
Since 2022, Osaka has worked with Alexandre Cohen, founder of the Heights advisory firm, to guide him in expanding his investment portfolio.
The two have jointly invested in the Miami Pickleball Club, which is part of Major League Pickleball, in 2023. Cohen has also advised Osaka on deals including startups such as the healthy ramen brand immi and hair salon chain Pressed Roots.
In addition to individual investments, Cohen has supported Osaka in building its extensive ecosystem, including the launch of Evolve and KINLÒ, while continuing to hold a similar position in management of the National Women’s Soccer League team North Carolina Courage.
!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)
{if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?
n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};
if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version=’2.0′;
n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;
t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];
s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,’script’,
‘
fbq(‘init’, ‘618909876214345’);
fbq(‘track’, ‘PageView’);
