The 41-year-old is in his fourth week in the role and it has been a steep learning curve.
He worked at the Oamaru Licensing Trust for the past nine years, so his background is in hospitality, rather than sports administration.
"It has been pretty hectic and full-on getting my head around Basketball Otago,'' Ludlow said.
"It is definitely different from hospitality ... but I'm really enjoying it.
"We've got a great team here and we are really focused on moving forward and getting the brand out there again.''
Mending some of the damage the Basketball Otago brand has sustained during the past 18 months will be a challenge.
The organisation ceased trading in October 2014 having accumulated just under $180,000 of debt under the previous general manager, Markham Brown.
It came close to liquidation but in May an agreement was reached with the creditors to pay 30 cents in the dollar.
While Ludlow's appointment represents a clean slate for the organisation, he has some work ahead to help restore faith in the association.
"The big challenge for me is to go out there and get the Basketball Otago name out there so we can approach these [groups] with a great opportunity and hopefully get them to support Basketball Otago.
"In saying that we still have some key people and funders that have stood behind us that we are very appreciative of.''
Ludlow started at the Oamaru Licensing Trust as retail manager and worked his way up to joint general manager.
He oversaw three commercial businesses - a 50-room hotel, a sports bar and a retail operation - which he believes has set him up well for the role at Basketball Otago.
The licensing trust had some significant losses and he helped get it "back in to the black''.
"That really helped the community perception of the trust. We had great staff there that were committed to the Oamaru Licensing Trust and it is the same here with Greg [Brockbank] and Kath [Richards].
"They have been very loyal to Basketball Otago. To have their knowledge and support around me is crucial. I've been relying on them quite heavily for guidance and advice.''
Ludlow's role is not to come in and help resurrect the Otago Nuggets.
While he values having a franchise in the city, Basketball Otago has to make baby steps in its recovery.
"At the moment our focus is on grassroots and community basketball. That is where our growth is and where a lot of our support comes from.
"I'm a big fan of the Nuggets and I'd love to see the Nuggets back in the national league, but it is not a focus for me or my team or the board.
"That is something we'll assess month to month with how we approach that. At the end of the day the Nuggets will take a fair bit of money to get them up and running again and we don't want to put Basketball Otago [under financial pressure].''
Ludlow's decision to uproot his young family - wife Joelene (38) and children Lydia (13), Caitlin (8), Emma (7) and Stella (5) - and shift south to Dunedin for the role was, well, bold.
"Life is about taking risks every now and then. I did not want to think about this role in a couple of years and regret not taking the opportunity. My goal was to get into sports administration and this is a great stepping stone for me.
"It is certainly not about coming in and doing what I have to do and get out. I see this as a mid to long-term opportunity.
"If I ever do walk away from Basketball Otago, I want it to be in a better position than it was when I took it over.''
● Basketball Otago chairman Karl Andrews said board member and Brockville Primary School principal Craig Hickford's "terrible accident'' earlier this month had left the basketball community in shock and "deeply upset''.
Andrews said Hickford had been a major part of keeping the development and representative programmes functioning and successful.
Hickford was out cycling on February 14 when he was involved in a crash with a vehicle.
