From chasing a professional football dream to advising some of the world’s most recognisable names, Kofi Nartey’s career took paths only a few could have predicted.
The Ghanaian-American entrepreneur is known as one of the leading figures in luxury real estate, building a reputation for guiding celebrities, professional athletes, investors and high-net-worth individuals through some of the world’s most exclusive property transactions.
Nartey is the founder and chief executive of Globl Real Estate & Development (Globl RED), a luxury real estate firm specialising in residential sales, development and advisory services.
With more than 20 years of industry experience, he has become a trusted adviser in the private and often highly competitive world of sports and entertainment real estate.
Before establishing Globl RED, Nartey held influential leadership positions at some of the industry’s major firms. At Compass, he founded and led the company’s Sports & Entertainment Division, while at The Agency he directed a similar division focused on serving elite clients.
In 2023, he joined The Real Brokerage as a national growth leader, helping expand the company’s agent development and recruiting initiatives.
But real estate was not his first pursuit.
Born to Ghanaian parents, Nartey attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he played college football as a wide receiver. His athletic ability led to an opportunity with the Oakland Raiders, but an early knee injury during training camp brought his football ambitions to an unexpected end.
Rather than stepping away from the spotlight, Nartey turned toward another creative path, acting.
Over the course of nearly a decade, he appeared in television and film productions, including Modern Family, Fast & Furious and Kick-Ass, before transitioning into real estate in the early 2000s.
His diverse experiences across sports, entertainment and business would later become a defining advantage in his real estate career. He went on to earn an MBA through the Presidential and Key Executive Program at Pepperdine University, strengthening his foundation as an entrepreneur and leader.
Through Globl RED, Nartey has worked with some of the most discerning buyers and sellers in the luxury property market, advising clients on residential acquisitions, sales, investments and development opportunities.
Beyond transactions, Nartey has built a broader platform as a speaker, author and business coach, sharing insights on leadership, performance and entrepreneurship. He has also appeared as a real estate expert on programmes such as Selling LA, Million Dollar Listing and Selling Sunset.
Alongside his wife, Dr. Mimi Nartey, he co-founded The Nartey Sports Foundation, an organisation dedicated to expanding access to sports opportunities for young people in underserved communities.
