Charles S. Walker

Mr. Charlie Walker has acted as CEO or president of five development stage enterprises, conceived and built three institutional funds (co-founded a fourth), and served on the boards of over 15 private and/or public companies throughout his professional career.
He began his career as a corporate securities attorney, later starting three consumer product-oriented companies (specifically, quick oil change, cookie mix and drapery businesses).
He joined the venture capital industry in 1988, working within Allstate’s Venture Capital unit from 1988-1992, making successful and diverse investments in retailing, biotechnology, medical services and technology.
In 1992, he founded and, over the next five years, built a separate investment unit focusing on alternative energy within Allstate (Project Finance), a fund which grew to over $700 million under his leadership.
Two of his deals while at Allstate remain amongst the best known ever executed in that sector (Kenetech and Polsky Energy).
In 1997, H&Q recruited Mr. Walker to revamp its later stage venture capital operations, where he launched Access Technology Partners, L.P., a $334 million fund focused on later stage private equity investments.
The team successfully raised a $500 million successor fund in 2000.
Following his tenure at JP Morgan, he served as (interim) CEO of Cadant, Inc. before it was sold to Arris in 2002.
Mr. Walker is a graduate of Brown University and the Northwestern University School of Law, attended finance classes at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, and is a member of the California Bar Association.