But the two understated Scots formed a formidable partnership as they persuaded George Osborne in early 2014 that the Treasury needed to harden its position, outlined in an analysis paper in April 2013, that a currency union was "highly unlikely".
His party had seen the need in the mid-1960s to set Heath, their own meritocrat, to catch Labour's formidable Wilson, and that confrontation dominated a decade of British parliamentary life.
He has insisted his team is capable of doing the job, but even former heads of the committee have acknowledged what a formidable task this is.
In a time of collapsing public confidence in the political classes across Europe, Orbán can claim to be unique – a gifted, popular strongman with the most formidable electoral mandate in the EU.
Walter pulled the strings to formidable effect; no fewer than four of the Germans' half dozen goals came from set pieces, and he coolly scored twice from the penalty spot.
François Hollande's lead over Nicolas Sarkozy is narrowing just two days before France's presidential elections, but the incumbent still has a formidable challenge to overhaul the deficit in time for Sunday's vote.
Always elegant, always formidable, but also capable of personal kindness to her staff and helpers, she understood Tory men.
The Hungarians played superb technical and tactical football, with Ferenc Puskas, a dominating captain with a formidable left foot, and Sander Kocsis, the so-called "Golden Head," a double spearhead.
Virgin and Delta have vowed to become a "formidable competitor" on UK-US routes after the American airline was cleared to complete its purchase of a 49% stake of Sir Richard Branson's Atlantic carrier.
He would have been defeated in two states by a challenger who is potentially a far more formidable foe than Newt Gingrich.
If Zoe does apply to university she will have some formidable competition: other applicants will have attended a school with an "outstanding" Ofsted rating, enjoyed a comfortable home life and have parents with degrees.
