Most large multinationals have very rigidly defined jobs, job descriptions, point levels and compensation bands.
The terminology may not be the same but the overall effects of the system are the same.
Lets say you have a great tech, they are a "tech level 3", position level 100 and salary range "G".
If they want to make more money they need to move to salary range "H" and need a JD that matches that salary range.
So they are promoted to a manager role to keep them, and to pay them what it takes to keep them. Did they want to be managers? Are they suitable for the job?
I've dealt with this scenario many times in my career. Sometimes it would be far better off for everyone of the system wasn't so rigid, and that good people could be paid to do their jobs and not be artificially promoted to management positions.
It is an interesting "cobra" unintended consequences effect.
The goal of the system was fairness and to manage costs. The unintended consequence is having many unqualified managers as people game the system to their advantage.