Owning more than 8,000 properties, Telereal Trillium houses an estimated 1% of Britain’s workforce. It has financed its growth through sale-and-leaseback deals with big employers, including BT and the Department for Work and Pensions. It also owns London landmarks such as the Coutts Bank building in the Strand. Part of the Pears family property empire, the firm reported a slight drop in revenue to £687m in 2012, but tight management by chief executive Graham Edwards, 49, helped profits soar 77% to £165m.