In the UAE’s fast-growing SME ecosystem, access to timely, flexible capital remains one of the most persistent challenges. Ritesh Bhartiya has spent two decades not just observing this gap — but actively engineering solutions to close it. As the Founder & CEO of Provizia Capital and the driving force behind Anthill P2P, a peer-to-peer lending platform, he represents a rare breed of financier who has evolved from capital arranger to capital provider — making him one of the most consequential voices in SME finance today.
As the Founder and CEO of Provizia Capital, an advisory platform offering bespoke capital solutions, he leverages his expertise in establishing the company as a trusted name in the industry. With a team of highly skilled professionals, the firm has a global clientele base, delivering solutions that match clients’ specific requirements without fail.
Parallel to this, he even serves as a Member of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization, sharing his insights on entrepreneurial spirit. Acclaimed for blending strategic vision with technical knowledge, Ritesh is dedicated to empowering businesses in their journey through financial landscapes.
The Beginning
Ritesh’s journey in financial services has been a progression from understanding capital to actively deploying it. Starting his professional path with Merrill Lynch in India within capital markets, followed by roles at Ernst & Young and KPMG Corporate Finance, Ritesh gained exposure to M&A, private equity, and structured finance, instilling in him a strong institutional foundation across both debt and equity advisory.
After moving to the UAE, he spent several years working closely with mid-market businesses and investors, which eventually led to the creation of Provizia Capital—an advisory platform focused on structuring tailored capital solutions.
What distinguishes Provizia Capital from conventional advisory firms is its singular focus on the underserved mid-market and SME segment — businesses that are financially viable yet consistently overlooked by traditional lenders.
“Over time, I realized that advisory alone was not always sufficient. There were clear gaps where businesses required capital urgently, but traditional lenders were either too slow or unwilling to take the risk. This led to the launch of Anthill, a peer-to-peer lending platform, where we moved from being pure advisors to becoming active capital providers. Over the past few years, we have executed over 75 transactions and deployed more than AED 110 million, primarily offering bridging capital solutions,” Ritesh reflected.
With a role at the intersection of advisory and capital deployment, Ritesh not only structures solutions but also participates directly in solving them.
Spark Behind the Journey
Initially, the ability to influence real business outcomes through capital inspired Ritesh to pursue this particular field. With a sole focus on execution during his early days, he believed in working within structured environments and delivering transactions. But after gaining exposure, he became increasingly drawn to situations where traditional solutions were not working.
He mentions, “That shift in perspective was a defining moment. I moved from being an advisor who arranges capital to someone focused on solving capital gaps. Anthill P2P is a direct outcome of that evolution. We identified a consistent gap in the market—businesses that were viable but temporarily constrained, unable to access timely funding from conventional channels.”
The businesses we were solving for were predominantly SMEs — companies with real assets, real revenues, and real potential, but caught in the financing blind spot between being too small for institutional capital and too large for business banking.
By bridging these gaps, Ritesh and his team were able to help these businesses transition from short-term constraints to long-term financing stability. Today, this journey has evolved into something far more hands-on, rather than solely offering advisory services on capital; he actively enables and deploys it where it is most needed.
The SME Financing Gap
The numbers are striking. SMEs account for nearly 94% of all businesses in the UAE and contribute approximately 60% of GDP — yet access to timely, flexible financing remains their single biggest growth constraint. Over 60% of UAE SMEs cite financing access as their primary barrier to growth, while the IFC estimates the SME financing gap across MENA at over $260 billion.
Traditional banks demand years of audited financials, heavy collateral, and processing timelines stretching beyond 60 days — by which point the opportunity has often passed. The issue for most viable SMEs is rarely about not meeting information requirements. It is about speed — the time it takes a bank to react, evaluate, and deploy.
This is where Anthill P2P operates differently. The information requirements are rigorous and comparable to what any responsible lender would demand. What sets Anthill P2P apart is the speed of reaction, the efficiency of execution, and a flexible approach to security — one that looks at what a business can genuinely offer as collateral rather than insisting on a rigid, fixed asset framework that many SMEs simply cannot meet.
What Defines a Successful Leader
A visionary leader can push industry standards and take the business to new heights of success. For Ritesh, leadership in today’s world is defined by the ability to move from theory to execution.
Sharing his perspective on effective leadership, Ritesh explains, “One of the key differentiators is decisiveness under uncertainty—the ability to take calculated risks when the path is not clearly defined. This is particularly relevant in financial services, where timing and judgment are critical.
Secondly, adaptability is essential. Markets are evolving rapidly, and leaders must continuously reassess and recalibrate their approach. But beyond that, I believe what truly sets leaders apart today is their willingness to take ownership beyond advisory—to stand behind their decisions and, when necessary, put their own capital, reputation, and conviction into what they believe in.
That shift—from advising to actually participating—is what builds credibility and long-term trust.”
Embracing Innovation and Growth
Nowadays, AI is in every sector, reshaping how businesses function. While emerging technologies like AI will significantly enhance efficiency in areas such as credit assessment, data analysis, and transaction execution, for platforms like Anthill, it can play a vital role in evaluating opportunities, managing transactions,
and improving turnaround times. Over time, AI will further streamline underwriting processes and enable faster, more informed decision-making.
“However, I believe the core of financial advisory and structured capital solutions will remain relationship-driven. Complex situations, especially in the mid-market, require judgment, experience, and the ability to structure bespoke solutions.
So while technology will improve speed and scale, the real differentiation will continue to come from human insight, structuring capability, and the ability to navigate complexity,” Ritesh reflects.
Staying Ahead of the Curve
The numbers tell a compelling story. Since its inception, Provizia Capital has advised on over 150 transactions — sourcing, structuring, and placing capital across a broad SME client base. Where speed and flexibility demanded it, deals were financed directly through Anthill, which has now deployed over AED 110 million across 75+ transactions. The rest were placed with carefully selected third-party financiers — a testament to Provizia’s role as a true capital solutions architect, not merely an advisor.
Ritesh shares, “At Provizia Capital, we take a structured approach by breaking down a client’s needs into immediate, medium-term, and long-term requirements, and then designing solutions accordingly.
With Anthill, we have added another layer to this approach—we can now step in as capital providers, particularly in situations where speed and flexibility are critical. This allows us to offer bridging solutions that traditional lenders may not be able to provide. Over the past few years, this combined approach has enabled us to execute over 75 transactions and deploy more than AED 110 million in capital.”
This integration of advisory and capital is what proves to be a truly differentiating factor for the companies, allowing the team not only to design solutions but also to actively participate in delivering them.
Crafting a Lasting Legacy
By bridging gaps between capital and opportunities, Ritesh is empowering a strong legacy. Through both Provizia Capital and Anthill, his vision is to create a platform that supports businesses across different stages of their growth journey, whether it is through advisory, structured financing, or direct capital deployment.
Passionate about building an ecosystem where businesses are not constrained by the limitations of traditional financing, Ritesh is on a mission to craft solutions for access to flexible, practical, and timely capital solutions.
“If we can create a platform that is known for solving real problems, operating with integrity, and consistently delivering value to clients and investors, that would be a meaningful and lasting legacy,” he comments.
At its core, this is a mission rooted in SME empowerment — ensuring that a great business never fails simply because capital arrived too late or came with conditions it couldn’t meet.
A Healthy Work-life Balance
Having a balanced personal-professional life is never an easy task, but never an impossible one. With discipline and clarity, Ritesh has ensured balancing his demanding career with his personal life. He shares, “Given the nature of what we do—whether it’s advisory mandates or capital deployment—there is always a level of intensity. However, I believe it’s important to create structure and be intentional about how time is spent.
For me, that includes staying physically active, spending time with family, and occasionally stepping away to reset and reflect. I also believe that as you build strong teams and systems, it allows you to operate more efficiently and avoid being involved in every detail.
Ultimately, balance is less about dividing time equally and more about being fully present and effective in whatever you choose to focus on.”
Connect with Ritesh Bhartiya on LinkedIn to gain industry insights.
Find Provizia Capital on LinkedIn and visit their website to learn more.
Find Anthill P2P on LinkedIn.
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