Marquis Who’s Who honoree Salman Khan is a seasoned financial structuring and asset management expert. Khan has contributed significantly to the investment banking industry for over three decades. With an extensive professional background, he is the founder and chief executive officer of Stabilis Capital Management, where he has been instrumental in directing the firm’s strategic path since 2010.
As the chief executive officer of Stabilis Capital Management, Khan wears many hats. His responsibilities include the day-to-day management of the firm in developing strategies, evaluating potential hires, managing a significant volume of incoming inquiries, and analyzing the 86 billion in deal flow the firm sees over a 24-month period. As CEO, he also devises, manages, and executes the firm’s strategic direction to ensure it remains aligned with his goals and values.
Khan’s expertise in commercial lending, capital markets, financial structuring, asset management, investment banking, and hedge funds has influenced his success. His leadership is also recognized through his membership in the Hedge Fund Society.
The Foundation to Professional Success in Finance
Khan’s academic achievements have helped support his professional journey and success. His academic background includes receiving a Master of Business Administration in Finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in 1992. He also received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Columbia Engineering in 1988, where he received faculty commendations for outstanding performance. He credits his engineering background with giving him expertise in both systems analysis and probability theory, a specialization that has aided him throughout his more than 30-year career in finance. It remains relevant at Stabilis, where probability theory undergirds the firm’s proprietary, tech-enabled sourcing platform.
While fundamental achievements in his professional endeavors provide him with the necessary analytical skills, Khan credits his success to his resilience through life’s challenges. He believes personal and professional success is about maintaining a positive outlook and embracing growth opportunities.
Other Professional Experiences
Before his role at Stabilis Capital Management, Khan was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs from 1992 to 2004. While at Goldman, he was involved in some of the larger transactions concerning consumer and residential assets, including a $2.3 bn acquisition of ITT’s consumer loan business in 1993 and, almost a decade later, the $2.6 billion acquisition of Providian Bank’s credit card portfolio. For their teamwork and excellence, Khan and the deal team were awarded the John C. Whitehead Award for the latter transaction, a coveted Goldman laurel.
His most impactful deal, however, was not just measured in monetary value. While leading the firm’s middle market CRE loan acquisition business, Khan helped orchestrate a deal that ultimately led to one of the world’s largest land gifts for conservation.
This achievement was highlighted and commented on by numerous renowned Goldman executives, including Hank Paulson, Lloyd Blankfein, and David Solomon. The team ultimately found a worthy steward to gift the land to the World Conservation Society (WCS), an organization that still maintains a permanent staff to protect and study this vast territory. Thanks to the close collaboration and hard work of the Goldman acquisition team led by Khan, the Goldman board, and the staff and volunteers at the WCS, a 680,000-acre reserve in Chile will be preserved for future generations. It remains one of the deals of which Khan is most proud.
Outside of the Industry
Beyond his professional ventures, Khan is actively involved in various civic initiatives, such as sponsoring local and international education-related charities and groups dedicated to promoting literacy. Khan has also endowed two scholarships at his high school alma mater, underscoring his commitment to education and community development.
In his personal life, Khan values the time he gets to spend with his family, including his son and daughter. His wife runs a Michelin-rated restaurant in New York. He enjoys contributing to its ongoing success by frequently assisting with food tastings, menu updates, and financial reviews. His wife insists his feedback is appreciated; his children remain skeptical. He is also learning to play the piano and becoming fluent in Spanish.
Looking to the future, Khan plans to position Stabilis Capital Management for continued success by empowering young professionals within the firm to take on leadership roles. He has also developed a business model that leverages the firm’s proprietary tech-enabled sourcing and sifting model to deliver reliable returns for his investors. Even 30 years in, Khan is still finding new ways to use his engineering degree.
