Francis Suarez has not been out of Miami City Hall for long, but he has already landed a big corner-office gig. The former mayor, who wrapped up eight years in office at the end of 2025, has been named president of Alpha Wave Global, a Miami-based investment firm that is gearing up to launch an AI-native life insurance and retirement business backed by fresh capital from Abu Dhabi.
Alpha Wave Taps Suarez To Help Steer Expansion
Alpha Wave now lists Suarez on its leadership roster as president and bills itself as a diversified alternative asset manager that invests across private equity, private credit, public markets, and life insurance and retirement solutions. The firm, founded in 2012, keeps its headquarters in Miami alongside offices in other global financial centers, according to Alpha Wave Global.
Abu Dhabi Investor Grabs Control Stake
The timing of Suarez's announcement was no coincidence. On the same day he revealed his new role, Judan Financial, a unit created within Abu Dhabi's International Holding Company, said it had agreed to acquire a 50.1 percent stake in Alpha Wave to bankroll the firm's push into United States insurance, according to Gulf Business. Company statements describe the cash infusion as a strategic partnership meant to scale Alpha Wave's AI-driven underwriting and retirement products while keeping the founding leadership team in place and accelerating new product launches.
From City Hall To Conference Room
Suarez did not wait long to plug into the private sector. After leaving office at the end of 2025, he picked up roles that include work at Quinn Emanuel's Miami office and an operating position at a private equity firm, as reported by the Miami New Times. Those jobs, along with consulting and real estate activity during his time as mayor, have been a recurring focus of local coverage of his quick glide path into finance.
Crypto Baggage And Gulf Money Optics
Suarez's tenure at City Hall featured a splashy bid to turn Miami into a crypto capital, highlighted by his promotion of MiamiCoin. That token's trading was later suspended for low liquidity in 2023, a stumble critics still point to. Trading in MiamiCoin was halted amid liquidity concerns, according to CoinDesk. At the same time, human rights groups and financial observers have raised broader concerns about the role of Gulf sovereign linked capital on the world stage, including rights abuses tied to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, as detailed by Human Rights Watch.
Suarez did not respond to messages seeking comment, the Miami New Times reports. Alpha Wave and Judan, in company statements, say the Abu Dhabi partnership is intended to speed up the rollout of AI-focused products and broaden the firm's reach, according to Alpha Wave Global.
