“Between Three Worlds” Examines How Countries Navigate the Controversial Movement Between Intelligence, Diplomacy, and Private Enterprise—Without Moral Judgment
CAIRO, NY, UNITED STATES, March 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — They’re called “revolving doors,” criticized as conflicts of interest, and viewed with suspicion by the public worldwide. Yet these career transitions between intelligence services, diplomatic posts, and corporate boardrooms persist across every major economy and political system. The reason? They work.
A groundbreaking new book, Between Three Worlds: Diplomat, Spy, and Businessperson Transitions Across Global Cultures, examines this paradox with analytical rigor rather than moral judgment. Drawing on thirty years of lived experience across business, diplomacy, and intelligence work, the author presents a comparative study of how ten countries and regions manage these controversial transitions—and why these systems remain remarkably functional despite widespread misgivings.
“The question isn’t whether these transitions are ‘good’ or ‘bad,’” explains the author, who served in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Nigeria during his diplomatic career, lived and worked in five countries, and traveled to more than fifty as a global executive. “The question is: how do they actually work, and what problems do they solve? These systems persist because they address real needs—even when people have serious concerns about them.”
The book examines strikingly different approaches across 21 countries. French pantouflage operates through elite school networks. Japan’s amakudari reflects a lifetime employment culture. China’s transitions serve Party control. Russia’s siloviki blur the line between state and corporate power entirely. Each system reflects distinct cultural values, historical experiences, and governance philosophies—yet all manage to function effectively within their contexts.
What makes this analysis unique is its dual focus on both diplomatic and intelligence service transitions. While diplomatic career moves receive public attention, intelligence officers’ transitions into private enterprise remain largely invisible—yet carry far greater security implications. The book illuminates this hidden dimension of global power dynamics during an era of intensifying great power competition.
The author brings unusual credibility to this analysis. Beyond his diplomatic service in the Middle East and Africa, he served briefly in the U.S. Army in Germany and spent decades as a global executive navigating the intersection of commerce, government relations, and geopolitical risk. This triple perspective—business, diplomacy, and intelligence—allows him to examine these transitions from all angles rather than a single vantage point.
Between Three Worlds is written for multiple audiences: corporate executives managing geopolitical risk, policymakers designing ethics frameworks, intelligence professionals considering post-service careers, and anyone seeking to understand how global power actually operates beneath the surface of official pronouncements. In an era when former CIA directors join corporate boards, ex-diplomats become lobbyists, and intelligence officers transition to cybersecurity firms, understanding these dynamics isn’t optional—it’s essential.
The book’s central insight challenges conventional wisdom: these “revolving doors” don’t persist despite their problems—they persist because they solve problems that formal institutions cannot. Whether that’s efficient knowledge transfer, relationship continuity, or strategic coordination between public and private sectors, each system addresses genuine needs. The costs and risks are real, but so are the benefits.
This isn’t advocacy. It’s an analysis. The book presents how these systems work, why they endure, and what tradeoffs different societies accept. Readers can draw their own conclusions about whether the benefits justify the costs—but they’ll do so with a far deeper understanding of the actual mechanisms at play.
Available now on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GT281LWT and soon to be available from IngramSpark and Barnes and Noble
About the Author
The author’s interest in career transitions between public service and private enterprise began in high school when he was accepted to the Université de Grenoble, although he did not ultimately attend because it was during France’s era of student turmoil. Over the following thirty years, he lived the question from all angles: with the U.S. Army briefly stationed in Germany, as a global executive navigating markets in more than fifty countries, as a U.S. Foreign Commercial Service Officer, and as a diplomat in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Nigeria. This book represents the culmination of that three-decade global journey through the corridors of power across three worlds.
Michael K Bender
MKBender.com
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