For a former Olympic sprinter, Sir Menzies Campbell had rather a slow journey to the top in politics.
He was drawn to the then Liberals by the leadership of Jo Grimmond in the 1960s but it was not until 1987 that he finally entered the Commons after three attempts to win his North East Fife constituency.
Sir Menzies was quickly appointed to the front bench, speaking on defence under the leadership of Paddy Ashdown.
He was subsequently made Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman and acting leader following the resignation of Charles Kennedy.
In his mid-sixties, he presides over a young Lib Dem team, one of whom was born in 1980.
Sir Menzies has promised to be a "safe pair of hands", but also to "take risks" to win support and power for his party.