CNBC Chairman Pamela Thomas-Graham is stepping down effective immediately to join clothing company Liz Claiborne as group president, NBC Universal said Monday.

An NBCU spokeswoman said the company does not plan to replace Ms. Thomas-Graham, as the position was created specifically for her.

Ms Thomas-Graham’s departure comes after six years at NBC, most of it in top positions at CNBC. Ms. Thomas-Graham said she chose to take the job at Liz Claiborne because it was “an opportunity I could not pass up.” She noted in a statement that she worked with apparel brands as a management consultant before joining NBC.

“These past six years have been extraordinarily fulfilling both professionally and personally,” she said in a statement. “I know the network will continue to flourish because of the quality of the team here, which has made CNBC the industry standard for world-class business news coverage.”

Ms. Thomas-Graham joined NBC in 1999 after 10 years at management consulting company McKinsey & Co. Upon arriving at NBC, she served as president and CEO of CNBC.com, then president and chief operating officer of all of CNBC. She later was named president and CEO and in February 2005 became chairman.