Imran Khan, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Proem Advisors, to Receive Prestigious 2026 Horatio Alger Award

Horatio Alger Association names 11 honorees to 2026 membership class, recognizing resilience, determination, and achievement

WASHINGTON, Jan. 27, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit that honors leaders who have overcome adversity and supports young people in furthering their education, today announced that Imran Khan, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Proem Advisors, will receive the prestigious Horatio Alger Award and become a lifetime member of the organization. Khan joins 10 other exceptional corporate, civic, and cultural leaders from across the country in the 2026 class of honorees. For the last 79 years, the Horatio Alger Award has recognized esteemed individuals who have achieved remarkable success despite significant challenges, and who demonstrate a strong commitment to higher education and philanthropy.

Khan was born in Bangladesh, where monsoons required him to take a small boat to reach the school, but his parents believed education was his path to a better life. He earned one of just 40 spots at an esteemed high school and made his mark there by founding the debate team and becoming Bangladesh's top high school debater. The internet helped open his eyes to more of the world and he began researching opportunities to attend college in the United States. The University of Denver offered him a scholarship and in his junior year there, he discovered a passion for the world of finance.

After earning his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in finance and economics, Khan joined JPMorgan in 2004 and became one of the youngest managing directors on Wall Street by age 29. He later moved to Credit Suisse, where he helped elevate the firm's tech banking presence and led the largest U.S. IPO to date, a $25 billion offering for e-commerce giant Alibaba. In 2014, he became chief strategy officer at Snapchat, guiding Snap Inc.'s growth from zero revenue to more than $1 billion and leading it to go public in 2017. He went on to fulfill a lifelong goal in 2018 by launching his own company, Proem Asset Management, a long-short equity fund focused on public tech stocks.

"My parents instilled in me the belief that education can change your life for the better. It was in my college classroom that I discovered my passion for finance and technology, and gained the tools to turn challenges into opportunities," said Imran Khan. "I'm committed to using my experience to help young people recognize that they have the potential to innovate and build success, no matter their circumstances. I'm honored to receive the Horatio Alger Award and join this group of exceptional men and women who are committed to supporting our future by investing in education."

Khan is a dedicated philanthropist supporting education, children's initiatives, medical research, and food security. Together with his wife, Catherine Ann, he established scholarships for students at Cornell University in 2019. They also founded an artificial intelligence (AI) research program at the University of Pennsylvania and launched a Dallas-based think tank conference that brings together tech founders and CEOs to foster innovation, partnerships, and social responsibility.

"Imran Khan's life and career are a testament to the core values of the Horatio Alger Association: perseverance, integrity, and a commitment to lifting others as one climbs. He exemplifies what is possible through determination and purpose," said Fernando De León, Founder and CEO of Leon Capital Group, a 2025 Horatio Alger Award recipient who nominated Khan for the Award. "Through relentless hard work, Imran rose from modest beginnings to earn a place at the highest levels of both Wall Street and Silicon Valley. He also shares our strong commitment to supporting promising young people, which is why I'm thrilled to congratulate him on this honor and look forward to seeing his impact on our organization."

Khan and the member class of 2026 will be formally inducted into the Association during the 79th Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., in April. The annual ceremonies coincide with the Horatio Alger National Scholars Conference, which gives more than 100 students the unique opportunity to explore the nation's capital and to meet and learn from Association Members.

For more information about the Horatio Alger Association and its 2026 membership class, please visit www.horatioalger.org and follow the organization on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

About the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. upholds the belief that hard work, honesty, and determination enable individuals to overcome adversity and achieve success. The Association honors exceptional leaders who exemplify this spirit by presenting them with the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime members. Through the support of its members and friends, the Association helps promising students to pursue their dreams through higher education. In 2026, the Association has budgeted to award $19 million in need-based scholarships to up to 1,800 students across the United States and Canada, along with academic, personal, and professional support services. Over the past 41 years, the Association has awarded more than $275 million in scholarships to more than 38,000 deserving students. For more information, visit www.horatioalger.org.

SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.