Draggan Mihailovich has been named the next executive editor of CBS News' "60 Minutes," filling a key role afterits previous occupant, Tanya Simon, was elevated to lead the showas only its fourth executive producer. "Draggan is a first-rate journalist and storyteller whose pieces have been among the most memorable to air on '60 Minutes' since he joined the broadcast nearly three decades ago," Simon said, in a statement. "Whether he's producing investigations, features or profiles of legendary athletes, he thinks big and has the highest standards. I can't think of a better partner." More from Variety Anxiety Builds at CBS News Over Potential Moves by Skydance 'CBS Evening News' Executive Producer Guy Campanile to Return to '60 Minutes' CBS News Digital's WGA East Union Members Reach Deal on Three-Year Contract, One Week Before Skydance Is Set to Take Over Mihailovich has spent spending 27 years as a producer for the venerable newsmagazine, working earlier in this tenure with Steve Kroft and Bob Simon, and, more recently, with Sharyn Alfonsi and Jon Wertheim. His work has garnered seven Emmys and three Edward R. Murrow Awards. He joined the broadcast in 1998. The newsmagazine has been generating headlines of its own in recent months. Paramount earlier this monthagreed to pay $16 million to President Donald Trumpto end what has been viewed in many legal circles as a flimsy lawsuit tied to a pre-Election Day interview between Bill Whitaker, a "60 Minutes" correspondent, and former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. The decision has vexed supporters of the program and of journalism in general, who charged Paramount executives risked tarnishing a media brand that has long sought to hold power to account and to probe events with an independent lens. Before coming to "60 Minutes," Mihailovich led the Olympic research departments for CBS Sports and ABC Sports for six years. During his time at CBS Sports, he served as an Olympic feature producer where his reporting was honored with four Emmy Awards, including a 35-minute profile of Olympian and WWII bombardier Louis Zamperini, whose plane crashed into the Pacific and was the inspiration for the book and film "Unbroken." He began his journalism career in college at The University of North Carolina, where he served as Woody Durham's radio color commentator during Carolina football games for the Tar Heel Sports Network. After graduating from UNC in 1983, he worked as associate sports editor for The Chapel Hill Newspaper. "This is the honor of my career. I've had the privilege to work with many legends inside '60 Minutes' and it means a great deal to me to help usher in a new era of the broadcast under Tanya," Mihailovich said in a statement. More to come… Best of Variety Oscar Predictions 2026: Venice and Telluride Will Spark the Start of Awards Season New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.