He attended Malvern College and whilst visiting an uncle in Malaya war was declared, so he carried on his education at Geelong Grammar School in Corio, Victoria, Australia.
Later he was sent to Rangoon, Burma to open a new Reuters bureau there.1956 saw Chipp sent to Peking where at the time he was the first non-communist reporter to be based there.
He succeeded in reversing the PA's decline, was noted for his resolute leadership during an industrial dispute in 1979, and remained as editor-in-chief until his retirement in 1986.
After retirement from the PA from Chipp took up a number of part-time positions including as an independent director of The Observer, a board member of TV-am and Teletext.
[1][2] Chipp was interested in opera and rowing, he was a member of the Leander Club and a regular spectator and steward at Henley Royal Regatta.