Retail heavyweights Justin King and Nick Robertson have been honoured in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

Sainsbury’s chief executive King has been made a Commander of the British Empire and Asos boss Robertson is now an Officer of the British Empire.

King has spent seven years leading Sainsbury’s and has guided the grocer ably through what has been a difficult economic climate.He has been increasingly in the public eye through his role as adviser to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson on the Olympics and headline-grabbing stance on the subject of the proposed increase in National Insurance contributions.

Being awarded the OBE tops a stellar year for Asos boss Robertson. The etailer earlier this month revealed profits rocketed 41% to £28.6m for its year ending March 31 as its international sales overtook UK revenues for the first time.

Robertson has firmly established himself as the poster-boy for online retail since he launched the fashion site in 2000, and is now eyeing expansion into Spain, Italy, Australia and China.