Plato in the Boardroom: How Investment Banker John C. Adams Unlocks the Spiritual Heart of Global Politics

By Weruché Uzoka

Host, The Weruché Show | Editor-in-Chief, Weruché Media

What happens when an international M&A specialist—who spent three decades navigating the ruthless realities of global power and finance—decides to take Plato seriously?

You get The Third Phase, a sweeping philosophical thriller by debut novelist John C. Adams (published by Skyhorse Publishing). But behind the high-stakes narrative of statecraft and geopolitical maneuverings lies a profoundly simple question that began at an ordinary family dinner table.

“Why isn’t the world the way it should be?”

When John’s three daughters posed that question to him over a decade ago, they were asking what almost every politically engaged person is quietly carrying today. Our world is fractured, cynical, and increasingly convinced that political power is a zero-sum game. But rather than offering a standard non-fiction policy critique, John spent years drawing on his dual life: 30 years conducting corporate mergers and acquisitions on the global stage, coupled with 30 years as a youth pastor studying classical thinkers like Plato, Saint Augustine, and Immanuel Kant.

His conclusion? The political crisis tearing our world apart is not merely an institutional or economic failure—it is fundamentally a spiritual problem rooted in the human heart.

Bridging Wall Street and Classical Thought

In his conversation on The Weruché Show, John brought a rare, unfiltered perspective on how global power actually works. Having held a front-row seat to high-stakes international negotiations, he understands the mechanics of influence, money, and leverage. Yet, his mid-life spiritual awakening at age 29 reoriented his life toward a deeper quest: understanding how ancient wisdom can resolve modern cynicism.

"Many politicians today have forgotten—or never learned—the foundational moral architecture of belief that underpins a just society," John noted during our interview. Reimagining Plato’s Republic through a modern lens, his novel explores how true governance requires more than policy; it demands moral awakening, personal sacrifice, and the courage to choose wisdom over nihilism.

The Power of Story in an Age of Division

Why write a political thriller instead of a philosophical treatise?

For John, story is the ultimate vehicle for truth. Influenced by his time translating complex theological and philosophical ideas for young people as a youth pastor, he recognized that stories bypass our ideological defenses. In The Third Phase, readers are invited into a world spanning seven decades and global landscapes—from Bolivia to Washington, and Palestine to China—following characters confronting systemic injustice, human trafficking, and political tyranny.

Through these narratives, John challenges us to rethink our assumptions about democracy, statecraft, and personal responsibility. The novel posits that personal transformation and civilizational transformation are intrinsically linked—we cannot heal our institutions until we address the human condition.

A Message of Hope

At a time when political fatigue is at an all-time high, John C. Adams offers an audacious, refreshing vision: that genuine redemption, moral clarity, and true democracy are not utopian fantasies, but actionable possibilities if we have the courage to pursue them.

As John reminded us during our conversation: Transformation begins when we stop asking what power can do for us, and start asking what love and justice demand of us.

Watch the full interview with John C. Adams on The Weruché Show YouTube Channel. "The Third Phase" is available nationwide from Skyhorse Publishing.