Volato Taps Energy Titan Alan Gaines for Board, Signals Minerals Push

ATLANTA, GA – December 29, 2025 – Volato Group, Inc. (NYSE American: SOAR) has appointed veteran investment banker and energy magnate Alan D. Gaines to its Board of Directors, a move that powerfully underscores the technology company's strategic pivot into the critical minerals sector. Effective immediately, Gaines will also take on the crucial role of Chairman of the Audit Committee, signaling a reinforcement of financial governance as the company navigates its transformative merger with M2i Global, Inc.

The appointment is far more than a routine corporate shuffle. It brings a four-decade career defined by high-stakes energy deals and massive capital formation into the boardroom of a company rapidly evolving from a software-focused entity into a key player in America’s resource supply chain. Gaines's extensive background is seen by analysts as the strategic linchpin intended to lend heavyweight credibility and deep industry expertise to Volato’s ambitious new trajectory.

A Career Forged in High-Stakes Finance

Alan D. Gaines is a figure whose career is measured in billions of dollars and strategic shifts in the global energy landscape. With over 200 major transactions under his belt, resulting in the raising of more than $100 billion in capital, his experience provides Volato with a level of financial and strategic firepower few board members can offer. His resume reads like a history of modern energy finance.

Early in his career, Gaines served as the Chief Strategic Advisor to the legendary financier Carl C. Icahn. In this role, he was instrumental in overseeing investments in some of the most iconic names in the energy industry, including Gulf Oil, Texaco, Phillips Petroleum, and Marathon Oil. This experience during a period of intense consolidation and strategic maneuvering in the oil and gas sector provides a unique historical parallel to the current geopolitical scramble for control over critical minerals.

Building on this foundation, Gaines co-founded Gaines, Berland Inc., a full-service investment bank dedicated to serving the small and mid-cap energy sector, demonstrating an entrepreneurial drive to build institutions from the ground up. His leadership acumen was further proven during his tenure as Chairman of Dune Energy, Inc., where he spearheaded a complex $540 million acquisition that resulted in a pro forma valuation of approximately $1 billion. Today, he continues to lead as Executive Chairman, CEO, and Founder of a portfolio of companies including ALG Corp., ALG Media, Inc., Tidal NRG, and Innov8 Gases Corp., spanning media, energy, and infrastructure.

Bridging Technology and Critical Resources

The appointment of Gaines is the clearest signal yet of Volato’s commitment to its pending merger with M2i Global, Inc., a company focused on building a vertically integrated, secure supply chain for minerals essential to U.S. industrial and defense markets. This merger represents a fundamental transformation for Volato, which has until now been primarily known as a technology company. Its existing Parslee Document Intelligence platform is a sophisticated software solution designed to enhance the performance of large language models (LLMs) by adding structure and auditability to complex legal and financial documents.

The challenge and opportunity for the newly combined entity lie in marrying this software expertise with the capital-intensive, logistically complex world of mineral extraction and supply chain management. This is precisely where Gaines's background becomes invaluable.

Mark Heinen, Chief Financial Officer of Volato, highlighted this strategic fit. “His deep experience in complex financial transactions, energy market dynamics, and board governance will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our financial oversight and strategic direction,” Heinen stated. He emphasized that Gaines’s leadership as Audit Committee Chair is set to “further enhance our governance structure as Volato advances its business combination with M2i Global and expands into the critical minerals and technology sectors.”

The Strategic Imperative of a Secure Supply Chain

The Volato-M2i merger is not occurring in a vacuum. It is a direct response to a growing global consensus on the strategic necessity of securing access to critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, graphite, and rare earth elements. These materials are the bedrock of modern technology, essential for everything from electric vehicle batteries and wind turbines to advanced defense systems like F-35 fighter jets and precision-guided munitions. For decades, the supply chains for these minerals have been dominated by a small number of foreign nations, creating significant economic and national security vulnerabilities for the United States.

M2i Global’s stated mission is to address this vulnerability head-on by establishing a “Critical Mineral Reserve” and creating a resilient, domestic supply chain. The appointment of a financial powerhouse like Gaines is a critical step in realizing this capital-intensive vision. Major General (Ret.) Alberto C. Rosende, the Chief Executive Officer of M2i Global, directly connected Gaines’s expertise to this national mission.

“Alan Gaines’ decades of leadership in capital formation and strategic oversight directly support the mission of the combined company,” said Rosende. “His expertise will enhance our ability to scale operations responsibly and accelerate our plans to deliver a secure and sustainable critical minerals supply chain for the U.S. and allied partners.” This underscores the belief that Gaines’s ability to structure deals and attract massive investment will be key to building the infrastructure necessary for a robust domestic minerals industry.

As Chairman of the Audit Committee, Gaines will be tasked with ensuring the highest level of financial integrity and transparency for the company. This role is especially vital for a company entering a new, high-stakes industry and seeking to earn the trust of investors, government partners, and the public. His oversight will be crucial in managing the financial complexities of the merger and the subsequent operational expansion. This appointment signals to the market that Volato is not only serious about its new strategic direction but is also building the robust governance framework required to execute it successfully.