There is no shortage of opportunities to go into management. Good managers are hard to come by. So any time you can demonstrate that you have the skills and wil

There is no shortage of opportunities to go into management. Good managers are hard to come by. So any time you can demonstrate that you have the skills and willingness to be a manager, most employers would welcome that. You can try to find management roles in other smaller companies who might be more open to your lack of management experience. Please don't mind but it seems to me that you are being jealous of your former colleague. It seems you were OK being an IC for 25 years and now that you have seen a peer succeed in management role you hate being an IC. Do not base your happiness on what others have. Know what makes you happy and try to get that regardless of what other people are getting / have gotten. If it helps, I have been an IC for 18 years and plan to be until I retire because I don't like management and I am quite happy with that. I know I'll never make executive salaries but I am ok with that. I optimize for happiness and less stress instead of money.