Operational Board

Maheta began his professional football career in 2001 at Atletico Madrid. In 2004, he signed in England with Brighton and Hove Albion, which was followed by spells at Lincoln City, Oldham Athletic and AFC Wrexham.

This playing experience, combined with Maheta's career as a labour lawyer, gives him a unique perspective on all levels of football and makes him well placed to understand the role of the union.

Fluent in English, Spanish, French, Italian and German, Maheta was twice named one of the best sports lawyers in Spain by international rankings company Chambers and Partners.

During periods at law firm Baker McKenzie and as legal counsel at Atletico Madrid, Maheta worked on representation agreements, contract and transfer negotiations for the games’ global stars, including Toby Alderweireld, Antoine Griezmann and Mesut Özil.

In 2016, Maheta was appointed as CEO of RCD Mallorca following a takeover by former NBA star Steve Nash, and Phoenix Suns’ owner, Robert Sarver.

In July 2021, Maheta formally started in role as Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers' Association.

Geoff Thompson has a 35-year track record in the social and human development of young people and communities through sport. As a former five times world karate champion, sports administrator and politician, he has realised a unique range of skill sets that have seen him advise, develop and deliver social and human project programme initiatives with a specific emphasis on equality, diversity inclusion and the balance between the corporate sponsorship investment and benefits to young people and communities globally.

He is the Founder and Chair of the Youth Charter, a UK-based international charity and UN NGO that uses the ethics of sport and artistic excellence to tackle the problems of educational non-attainment, health inequality, anti-social behaviour and crime in some of the most troubled areas around the world. Geoff has also held a number of private and public board appointments which include: Member of the Board of the London Legacy Development Corporation, an Advisory Board Member of the Muhammad Ali Center, based in Louisville, USA Adviser to the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, and was the Chair of the Board of Governors at the University of East London for two years.

Geoff has worked on assignments for United Nations agencies such as UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO, WHO and the UN Office on Sport for Development and Peace, FIFA, World bank, Bank of England, the Commonwealth Secretariat and Swiss Agency for Development. He has delivered policies and strategies within the bidding, hosting and legacy of major games and sporting events such as: 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, 1997 FIFA World Cup, Nagano 1998 Olympic Bid, 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup, All Africa Games 1999, Manchester 2000 Olympic Bid, Commonwealth Games 2002 bid and games, Cape Town 2000 Olympic Bid, 2008 UEFA Soccer Championships, 2010 FIFA World Cup, London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

In 1995 Geoff was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II for his services to sport and was a Deputy Lieutenant and Queen's representative in the county of Greater Manchester. In 2019 he received the Institute of Directors NW Chairman's Award for Excellence in Director and Board Practice and was included in the Top 100 BAME (Black and Minority Ethnic) Leaders in Business List, in association with the Sunday Times and was recently named in the Evening Standard's top 1000 influencers in London

Ebru is an experienced portfolio career Non-Executive Director working with a range of organisations across public, private and voluntary sectors.

She is an accomplished growth CEO with a history of working in the international sports and investment banking industries. She is a passionate and leading advocate for leadership and gender equality.

Her professional career began in New York as a Financial Analyst with Morgan Stanley, later returning to her native Turkey to serve as a Senior Manager at Citibank, a post she held until 1999 when she joined AIG's private equity fund as a VP. After her fund invested in Galatasaray SK in 2001, she went on to join the club full-time, serving as General Marketing Manager, Group Head of Marketing and Finance Group and later Stadium General Manager.

In 2010, she became the first and, to date, only woman to be elected to the Executive Board of the European Club Association (ECA) and served as the Vice Chair of ECA's Institutional Relations Working Group.

Ebru later became the first and only female General Secretary of the Turkish Football Federation.

She is currently the Chair of Women in Football, a network of professional women working in and around the football industry and received the Making a Difference award by HBS Executive Education in 2018.

PFA Chair Omar Beckles is an experienced professional, currently playing as a centre-back for League One side Leyton Orient and previously representing Grenada internationally.

Beckles began his career in Millwall's academy, then had a brief spell in Spain, before returning to English non-league football. In 2016, he broke into the English Football League with Accrington Stanley and has since made over 250 appearances with clubs including Shrewsbury Town, Crewe Alexandra and Leyton Orient.

Beyond his club commitments, Beckles has been dedicated to off-field causes. Elected to the PFA Players' Board in 2021, he quickly became a respected players' advocate and was voted PFA Chair in 2023. A qualified UEFA B licensed coach, he has pursued further development with the PFA, including completing the Effective Board Member Programme.

Beckles is a strong advocate for mental health and wellbeing. He was named Community Player of the Year twice at Shrewsbury Town and received the League Two PFA Player in the Community Award in 2022 for his impact at Leyton Orient. Through his foundation, HUB 365, he supports young people in realising their potential, highlighting his commitment to positive community engagement and empowerment.

Peter Vincenti was re-elected to the PFA’s Players’ Board, after first becoming a member of the Management Committee (now the Players’ Board) in 2015. As current Vice Chair of the PFA, Vincenti works closely with the leadership to set the union’s strategic direction and ensure the views of the membership are reflected. During his playing career, he represented several teams across League One and League Two and served as a PFA Player Delegate. Vincenti completed his MBA through the Open University while still playing, and currently works in finance.