Meet the founders

Cinnamon Circle id a boutique PR and sales agency for luxury hotels and destinations in Germany and Switzerland. Based in Munich and Zurich, we combine strategic communications with curated commercial support, always tailored to premium brands.

JOERN PFANNKUCH | CO-FOUNDER
CINNAMON CIRCLE | GERMANY, SWITZERLAND, GREECE

Joern Pfannkuch studied journalism, marketing psychology and Sinology at Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU) in Munich, and at National Taiwan University in Taipei. He later expanded his academic focus with intercultural management at LMU’s Faculty of Business and visual design at the Film Academy in Munich.

Building on this background, Joern conducted extensive research and field travel across China and East Asia and wrote his dissertation on intercultural relations between Western countries and the emerging economies often referred to at the time as the Asian “tiger” states. In the 1990s, he joined his family’s company, where he helped develop its electronic media operations alongside broader publishing activities.

Today, Joern works at the intersection of luxury hospitality, editorial storytelling and market-facing communications. He is the publisher of VIEWS — The Baur au Lac Magazine, and co-publisher of China im Blickpunkt, a business and lifestyle magazine dedicated to China. In parallel, he regularly contributes editorial content on travel, business and culture, with a strong focus on China, Central Asia and the premium hospitality sector.

Over many years, Joern has built a trusted network of journalists, publishers and influencers across Germany, Austria and Switzerland — an asset he leverages to shape credible narratives and create high-quality media visibility for premium hospitality brands.

At Cinnamon Circle, Joern leads the agency’s work in China Visibility for European hotels — helping independent properties understand and improve how they appear within China’s distinct digital travel ecosystem, including Chinese OTAs and social platforms. His approach combines market logic, localisation, and a strong editorial lens, with an emphasis on credibility and long-term brand value.

Let’s connect on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joern-pfannkuch-88680866/

MANUELA WEBER | CO-FOUNDER
CINNAMON CIRCLE | SWITZERLAND

Manuela Weber is a dynamic sales and marketing executive with over 16 years experience in the luxury hotel market. After studying hotel management, she completed a variety of marketing, sales and PR courses at Cornell University. Manuela has held numerous positions at assorted luxury hotels worldwide, including Washington DC, London, Zermatt and Zurich. Her proven understanding of what moves the international hotel industry – from small traditional properties to international hotel chains –makes her a true professional in her chosen field. At the Baur au Lac in Zurich, Manuela served for over six years as Director of Sales, Marketing and Public Relations. Worldwide travel and attendance at international travel fairs, such as the Virtuoso Travel Mart in Las Vegas, gave her a profound knowledge of international sales and PR activities. Over the years, Manuela has also established an extremely valuable network of contacts to decision-makers in the tourism, lifestyle, hospitality and entertainment sectors, as well as expanding her social networking platform.