Mr Robertson, former managing director of Rangers Football Club, initially joined Sterling as interim chief executive in December last year, after the appointment of Bernard Dunn – formerly head of UK leading family-owned insurance brokerage TL Dallas’s Scottish operation for over 10 years – as chairman in October.

Mr Roberton’s permanent appointment reflects the Board’s confidence in the momentum they have brought to the family-owned business as it restructures following a challenging period for Sterling and the retail sector as a whole across the UK.

The financial results for 2024 cover a standard 12-month reporting period and follow an elongated 18-month timeframe used in the previous trading year. Over this latest period, Sterling reported a pre-tax loss of just under £4m on turnover of nearly £50m. This is compared to profit of just over £40,000 on turnover of just under £80m over the prior longer period.

In its annual report, Sterling noted how a difficult trading environment and depressed consumer spending sparked by the cost of living crisis ‘triple whammy’ of high inflation, high interest rates and rising operational costs had impacted on legacy decisions and overinvestment as part of an ambitious growth strategy.

This led to the decision by the company’s shareholders to strengthen its Board and refocus the business.

However, despite a 5.2% reduction in like-for-like booked sales and a 9.6% reduction in delivered sales

over that period, Sterling outperformed the market – which UK-wide suffered a 10.9% hit in 2024 according to the Office of National Statistics – demonstrating resilience in its underlying core business.

It also maintained a strong underlying financial position, with cash balances increasing from £2.03m to £2.76m.

Mr Dunn said: “I am delighted that Stewart has become permanent chief executive of Sterling. The company is a highly-regarded and well-established name throughout Scotland which, like so many other High Street brands, has been buffeted by the economic turbulence caused by the cost of living crisis.

“This turbulence hit Sterling’s ambitious legacy plans to grow the business, resulting in the pre-tax loss announced by the company. However, the underlying foundations of the business are sound, and together with Stewart and the Board, we will continue to bring a renewed focus on the core values and standards that have underpinned our past success so we can lay secure foundations for the future.”

Mr Robertson said: “As the new chief executive of Sterling, I am proud of how the company has responded to what has been a difficult and challenging period.

“As a business, we are putting the right structures in place to lay the groundwork for sustainable growth. Sterling is a well-known and much-loved brand, a business with great people, strong values and deep roots in communities throughout Scotland.

“We recognise that the company must continue to work hard to ensure that Sterling builds towards a successful future.”

Mr Dunn and Mr Robertson are overseeing an updated strategy which focuses on investing in its core locations, customer experience and digital improvement.

In Glasgow, the company has revamped its three stores in Uddingston, London Road and Forrest Furnishing, introducing improved layouts and product ranges.

At the company’s Tillicoultry headquarters, the first phase of a major overhaul is underway, with a new Leather Gallery set to open later this summer. However, the Dundee Clearance Centre will close at the end of June in line with the end of its lease. Property agents have been appointed to identify a more suitable full-line location in the city for the longer term.

Elsewhere, Anderson & England in Elgin and Buick Furniture in Montrose are being rebranded as Sterling Home ahead of the Summer Sale, bringing consistency to the store portfolio and strengthening brand recognition across Scotland.

Sterling’s digital offer is also evolving. The company will launch a new Shopify-powered ecommerce platform this year, improving functionality, performance, and integration with its retail network.