Philipp Hermes is CIVIC’s Global Military Advisor, supporting the organization’s engagement with military and security actors to strengthen the protection of civilians and mitigate civilian harm in armed conflict. 

An international lawyer, security professional, and reserve officer, Philipp has more than two decades of experience across military, governmental, and private sector environments. His expertise spans protection of civilians, civil-military engagement, international humanitarian law, strategic military affairs, military diplomacy, and maritime security. 

Philipp has served in multinational military environments, including NATO Mission Iraq and EUFOR Operation ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he led a Liaison and Observation Team monitoring the civil environment and intercommunal tensions while engaging with local communities and stakeholders. He has also worked on strategic military affairs and military diplomacy with the German Federal Ministry of Defence and at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. 

Philipp holds leadership roles within the International Society for Military Law and the Law of War. He is also the founder of the Brussels Maritime Talks: Human Rights Perspectives at Sea, a forum that brings together practitioners, policymakers, and regulators to address the human rights dimensions of safety and security at sea. 

A qualified lawyer with advanced academic and professional credentials in international law and security, Philipp focuses on translating legal, strategic, and operational perspectives into practical approaches that strengthen civilian protection and accountability. 

Philipp lives in Brussels and enjoys photography, the arts, and the seaside.