Sir Philip is the Chairman of the Royal Navy Club.
He has enjoyed a distinguished career in the Royal Navy, and has held a variety of sea-going and land-based roles, including command of the Type 22 frigate HMS Beaver, the Type 22 frigate HMS Coventry, and the Amphibious Task Group and UK Maritime Forces.
Ashore he has served in the Ministry of Defence (MOD) during the 1997 to 1998 Strategic Defence Review, as Military Assistant to the 4* Chief of Defence Logistics, leading the C4ISTAR Division of the Fleet Headquarters and, as a Flag Officer, in command of Regional Forces and the Maritime Reserves. He returned to MOD as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy) for the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review and 2011 Defence Reform Review.
On promotion to Vice Admiral in December 2011 he served as Deputy Fleet Commander, Chief of Staff Navy Command Headquarters and Chief Naval Warfare Officer and then in November 2012 he became the Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff.