Charlie Rice has spent his entire career in the technology industry, as an investment banker, consultant and software developer. Charlie is currently a senior member of the Corporate Development group at Symantec, the fourth largest software company and global leader in security and infrastructure software. At Symantec, Charlie is responsible for evaluating and executing mergers and acquisitions, investments and other strategic opportunities. Most recently, Charlie led Symantec’s third largest acquisition to date: the $350 million purchase of Vontu, the leader in data loss prevention solutions.

Prior to Symantec, Charlie co-founded East Peak Advisors, a licensed investment banking firm that advises technology companies on mergers and acquisitions and growth financings. He also held positions in the technology investment banking divisions of Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) and Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), and the Advanced Technology and Financial Markets divisions of Andersen's Consulting Group. Charlie is frequently quoted by IT security press and publications and has authored numerous security-related articles.