Philip is Head of Marine and Technical Services at Burgess, an Initial Honorary Partner and an experienced master mariner with vast expertise in commercial shipping. He holds a law degree, an MBA and joined Burgess in 2015. As well as these impressive credentials, Philip is a Younger Brother of Trinity House, a Commissioner for Lymington Harbour, and a member of the Executive Board of the Nautical Institute.
 
Prior to Burgess, Philip enjoyed a long career in the cruise industry serving at sea up to the rank of chief officer before coming ashore to work in management. During his time at sea he served on a variety of ship types including a period as navigator on Sail Training Association square-rigged schooner. After coming ashore in 1987 he worked for P&O Cruises – later Carnival UK – for a further 22 years where he was responsible for the global operations of all P&O Cruises and Cunard vessels, including QE2 and Queen Mary 2. He later joined the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency as Director of Maritime Services where he was responsible for implementing UK government policy in relation to maritime standards, seafarer health safety and welfare and maritime search and rescue.

Philip joined Burgess as Safety and Security Manager tasked with developing the safety management systems for its fleet of yachts. In 2019 he was promoted to Head of Yacht Management to prepare the organisation for significant growth and evolution, a position he fulfilled for two years before stepping into a new role as Head of Marine and Technical Services. Today, his team ensures the company’s fleet of managed yachts are operated safely in compliance with international regulations and maintained in good condition. The team are in close and regular contact with yacht crews and colleagues.

'My qualifications and experience give me a big picture and multi-facetted understanding of the entire shipping industry,' he says. 'I know how to take a system and apply it so that it becomes central to the way we work, as well as ensuring it remains self-sustaining, self-correcting and scalable for years to come.'

Philip thrives on the variety of his work – 'a day doesn’t go by without me learning something new' – and he maintains a strategic perspective on the long-term future of the company, leveraging his expertise to give the company a multi-disciplinary and competitive edge.