Complex sentence: The decision to de-merge Debenhams and separate it from the rest of the Group was announced in July 1997: the plan was approved by shareholders in January 1998 and the de-merger took effect later that month.
Split into simpler sentences: The decision to de-merge Debenhams and separate it from the rest of the Group was announced in July 1997. The plan was approved by shareholders in January 1998 and the de-merger took effect later that month.