On 14 August 1916, Philip was born Inger Margrethe Nygaard in
Snekkersten,
Tikøb, . and graduated as the first woman from the economics program (
cand.oecon.) of
Aarhus University in 1941. Following a period as a secretary at the Aarhus Orthopedic Hospital between 1942 and 1945, Philip worked as a teacher of various advanced courses from 1945 to 1949. and represented the Lyngby constituency from 1968 to 1979. Between 1960 and 1965, she served as a member of the Wages Council, the supervisory board of the Stutgården treatment home from 1961 to 1970 and the in 1961. Philip served on the supervisory board of the
Royal Danish Theatre in 1962 before becoming its chair from 1971 to 1975. In 1962, she was the second woman to serve as a member of the . Between 1962 and 1974, Philip was a member of the Cultural Foundation's Board, and on the Social Reform Commission from 1964 to 1972, where she conducted a thorough social legislation study and worked to simplify the administration and structure and better social sector staff training. From 1964 to 1968, she was a member of the Varna orphanage's supervisory board, as well as between 1965 and 1974. Philip was a member of the from 1968 to 1970, the Board of Representatives for
Danmarks Nationalbank between 1968 and 1971, was a member of Sparekassen København-Sjælland's supervisory board from 1969 on, served on the business guidance council from 1970, was on Dansk Sparinvest's board starting in 1971 and on 's board from 1976. She was offered the cabinet position of
Minister for Social Affairs by
Hilmar Baunsgaard, the
Prime Minister of Denmark, but she rejected the offer. Philip was voted the recipient of the first in 1970. She lost her seat in the Folketing in the
1979 Danish general election on 23 October that year, but continued to be a financial board member, becoming chair of Sparekassen SDS and SDS in 1981 and 1984, respectively. ==Personal life==