Philip joined Newcastle University (UK) in 2012 after 20 years working on threatened Galliformes (pheasants, grouse, cracids and relatives) in Asia, Africa and South America, and especially India, Nepal, China, Djibouti and Thailand.

He served as Co-chair of the IUCN SSC Policy Subcommittee in 2015-16 and has experience of intergovernmental conventions and processes. He now seeks to identify and undertake research that will be of most use in informing and shaping global policy and is concerned with ensuring research is communicated appropriatly to enhance the status of species.