Forte Energy chairman Glenn Featherby and managing director Mark Reilly have significantlyboosted their stakes in the West Africa-focused uranium explorer by exercising options last week. Mr Featherby spent $110,000 to convert 2 million unlisted 5.5-cent options, boosting his stake to 10.65 million shares. Mr Reilly spent $192,500 to exercise 3.5 million 5.5-cent options to lift his stake to 11.73 million shares. The shares were trading at 12 cents on the day of conversion. Forte has assembled large portfolio of uranium tenements in Mauritania and Guinea, and is 10 per cent owned by French nuclear giant Areva.