Sen. Mark Warner mastered the art of rainmaking as a technology venture capitalist who put down bets in the early years of the wireless industry.

The former Virginia governor has emerged in recent weeks in a new role, as the point person for the Senate Democratic Caucus in reaching out to corporate boardrooms and executive suites from Silicon Valley to Wall Street.

The freshman Democratic senator confirmed in an interview that he now serves as the party’s liaison to the business community at the request of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, the chairwoman of the Steering and Outreach Committee for the Democratic Caucus.

“We’re dealing with the equivalent of a 100-year flood in the economy,” Warner said. “We are looking at big initiatives on health care and financial regulation. There’s a chance to build a real collaborative relationship.”

In his business career, Warner persuaded investors to purchase cellular telephone licenses the government was selling in the 1980s, and he was an early investor in the cellular company Nextel (before its merger with Sprint). As Virginia’s governor from 2002 to 2006, he was known for moderate, pro-business policies.

As part of his new job, Warner says he has set up small meetings that bring together senators and business executives to have open-ended chats. “We’re not focusing so much on the issue du jour. We want a broader discussion,” Warner said.

He said he plans to reach out to leaders of companies and trade groups, including a longtime friend from his days as a governor, former Michigan Gov. John Engler, a Republican who is president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Manufacturers.

“This is not an attempt to create a photo opportunity. It’s an attempt to create a relationship between members of the Democratic Caucus and the folks that are creating jobs,” Warner said.

The GOP has responded to new initiatives by Warner and his party on K Street by developing its own high-profile emissaries. For example, party leaders have tapped Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah to serve dual roles as vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and as the new head of the Senate Republican High Tech Task Force.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he believed Hatch would offer strong competition to Warner, who does not have a formal role with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, and other Democrats in reaching out to business. “These days we compete at everything,” McConnell said.