Philippe Mauguin is an agricultural engineer with a general civil engineering degree in bridges, water and forestry. He specialized in socioeconomics of innovation (MINES Paris – PSL) and became an auditor for the Institute of Advanced Development Studies and Regional Planning (IHEDATE).

From 1987 to 1989, he was a researcher at the Centre for the Sociology of Innovation at MINES Paris – PSL. From 1989 to 1992, he was in charge of the agrifood sector at the French Ministry of Research and later served as adviser to the minister from 1992 to 1993. From 1993 to 1997, Philippe Mauguin was Director of Agriculture and Bioenergy at the French Agency for Ecological Transition (ADEME) and Director of the Agriculture for Chemicals and Energy (AGRICE) scientific interest group.

From July 1997 to January 2002, he was adviser to the prime minister for agriculture, forestry and food. He then served as Director General of the French National Institute of Quality and Origin (INAO) from February 2002 to March 2006 before being appointed Director of the Regional and Interdepartmental Directorate of Food, Agriculture and Forestry (DRIAAF) for Île-de-France from April 2006 to May 2009. He then took up the post of Director of Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries until May 2012. Following this position, he served as the Chief of Staff for the Minister of Agriculture, Agrifood and Forestry.

He was appointed Chair & CEO of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) in July 2016. After leading the merger between INRA and IRSTEA to create INRAE on 1 January 2020, he was officially appointed Chair & CEO of INRAE on 22 October 2020.