Tim Cook, who will pass Apple’s CEO baton to John Ternus September 1, brought the executive along to the company’s earnings call today to say a quick hello.

“We have an incredible roadmap ahead. And while you’re not going to get me to talk about the details of that roadmap, suffice it to say this is the most exciting time in my 25-year career at Apple to be building products and services,” Ternus told analysts after the tech giant posted a blowout March quarter. “I couldn’t be more optimistic about what’s to come.”

Cook noted that this was his 59^th earnings call and said that after 28 years at Apple, 15 as chief executive, it was time for a change. He’ll step up to executive chairman and said, “I very much look forward to it.” When he was named to succeed Steve Jobs at the helm. Apple’s iconic founder famously told him, “Never ask what I would do, just do what’s right” — advice he recalled today was incredibly liberating.

Asked about his own kernel of wisdom for Ternus, the company’s highly regarded head of hardware engineering, Cook said: “I think my advice is that one of the most important decisions you’ll make is where to spend time. And I would spend it where the greatest benefit to the company and the users are. And never forget the North Star for the company. We’re about making the best products in the world that really enrich other people’s lives. And if you keep focusing on that and make your decisions around that, it will produce a great business, and we’ll be able to build more products and do it all over again.”

Ternus started at Apple on the product design team in 2001.

“The moment for the transition is the right one for a number of reasons,” Cook said. “First, our business has been performing extremely well. The first half of this year was very strong, growing double each year over year. Second, our roadmap is incredible, and most importantly, we have the right leader ready to step into the role. As I have said, there’s no one on this planet. I trust more to lead Apple into the future than John Turnus. John is a brilliant engineer, a deep thinker, a person of remarkable character and a born leader. I know he will push us to go further than we think is possible.”

Turnus called Cook “one of the greatest business leaders of all time.”

“Stepping into the role of CEO is an incredible honor, and it means a great deal to me to have Tim’s trust and confidence … As you know, one of the hallmarks of Tim’s tenure has been a deep thoughtfulness, deliberateness, and discipline when it comes to the financial decision making of the company. And I want you to know that is something Kevan and I intend to continue when I transition into the role in September,” he said, referring to Apple CFO Kevan Parekh.