From Football Pitch to Pitching Data Center Talent, Lucy Loomes Recruitment Career

Lucy’s journey into recruitment didn’t begin in an office, it began on the football pitch… 

“Ever since a young age I loved playing football and was fortunate enough to play professionally in the UK at 16 years old for 8 years, until an injury stopped me in my tracks.

"Yet, from the ages of 4-13 I was the only female player. In my entire life I have been in an environment where I’ve always stood out. This mantra of breaking down barriers and proving that females can do it too has stuck and become part of my DNA. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, or what your gender is, if you’re passionate about something then go for it, and this has helped me in a professional environment,” Lucy explains.  

Lucy learned what it meant to compete from an early age, and how to stand out. Playing at an elite level demanded discipline, resilience, and the ability to perform under pressure. 

“My journey began as a female professional footballer and England international, where I learned the value of discipline, resilience, and high performance under pressure,” she summarises.  

After completing a degree in Sports Science at the University of Hertfordshire, Lucy faced the same question many graduates do: what’s next? Professional sport had shaped her mindset, but she was ready for a new arena where performance, progression and ambition still mattered. 

That search led her to LVI Associates: 

“Today, I bring that same mindset to the world of executive recruitment, leading the charge in one of the fastest-growing global industries: data centers.” 

Now a director and Head of Data Center Recruitment, Lucy works in the world behind the world you see. 

Data centers power everything from Netflix and TikTok to online banking, AI tools and cloud computing. Every message sent, every stream watched, every search made, it all runs through physical infrastructure built and maintained by highly skilled teams. 

Lucy partners with developers, investors and construction firms to build those teams, from the people who design the facilities to those who construct and operate them. Her role isn’t just about hiring. It’s about helping companies scale the infrastructure that keeps the digital world running. 

But what stood out to her most wasn’t just the industry, it was the environment. According to Lucy: 

“Talent acquisition is naturally a fast-paced, meteoric world where the best rise to the top, and this is the same in sport. As soon as I walked into the LVI Associates business I naturally felt at home.” 

For Lucy, recruitment offered something familiar: a performance-driven culture where progression is earned, not assumed. Over the past six years, she has helped build and scale new markets, supported dozens of team promotions, and progressed into senior leadership herself. The pace is fast, the expectations are high, but so is the opportunity. 

At its core, her work is about impact. Lucy says: 

“At LVI Associates, we don’t just fill roles. We build the leadership and delivery teams that power the world’s most critical infrastructure.” 

For graduates considering their next step, Lucy’s journey is a reminder that your degree doesn’t define your ceiling. The skills you build, such as resilience, communication, competitiveness, and curiosity, can take you further than you expect. 

Sometimes, it’s just about getting the ball rolling.